368 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [Proc. 3D Ser. 



nebulosus have been examined and compared with Scbasto- 

 lobus. These as a group (Scorpaenidse) were compared with 

 the Hexagrammidae. 



From the Cottida? these two families are well separated 

 osteologically, as pointed out by Dr. Gill.* 



The differences which that author found between the 

 Hexagrammidae and the Scorpasnidee, causing him to place 

 the former family closer to the Cottidse, were confirmed 

 with these specimens, with the exception of the difference 

 which he noted in the basisphenoid. This element was 

 found with a well developed "descending process" in 

 Sebastolobus, in Scorpcena, and in several examples of 

 Sebastodes. In Sebastes it was as he describes it, but the 

 process being so very fragile, with such a small peduncle it 

 might easily have been broken off, leaving only the "tri- 

 angular element" with no trace of any descending process. 



The species of Hexagrammida? examined were Hexa- 

 grammos decagrammus and Zaniolefiis lati-pinnis. The 

 skulls of the four genera of Scorpasnida? examined are 

 strikingly similar in their characters. 



The species of the genus Sebastodes vary nearly as much 

 among themselves as do these genera. 



The variation of the parietals in their relation to each 

 other in Sebastodes has been several times pointed out by 

 different authors in attempts to divide the genus. In Sebas- 

 tolobus alascanus and Scorpama guttata they meet over the 

 supraoccipital. In Sebastes marinus they do not. 



A difference in Sebastolobus was thought to have been 

 found in the lack of any posterior opening to the myodome. 

 A careful search with a lens and bristle, however, revealed 

 an exceedingly small one. In the other three genera this 

 opening is well developed. 



The nodule on the front of the prefrontal for the articu- 

 lation of the palatine, which is so well developed in Sebas- 

 todes and Sebastes, appears to be absent in Sebastolobus and 

 but slightly developed in Scorpcena. 



*Ontheclassificationofthe Mail-cheeked Fishes, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1888. 



