1879.] Notes on Some Fishes of the Coast of California. 301 
cover almost the entire fish, and different shades of brown occur 
in the same individual. The young is spotted with round spots 
of a light yellowish-brown, and it was to the young that the name 
Ophiodon elongatus was originally given by Girard, who described 
the adult with the title of Oplopoma pantherinum. O. elongatus was 
said to have a continuous dorsal with twenty-seven spines, and 
no membranous flap upon the forehead ; while Of/. pantherinum was 
characterized by two separate dorsals, the first with twenty-five 
spines, and by the presence of a membranous flap, 
Dr. Steindachner corrects this error (/cthyologische Beiträge, No. 
11), and proves that the continuous dorsal and membranous flap 
are characters of the species. 
The correct number of spines is twenty-seven, but the adult 
frequently comes to market in a dilapidated condition, with the ` 
spines torn apart from each other, or even broken away, and it is 
most probable that Girard described his O. pantherinum from such 
a mutilated specimen. Young and half grown individuals are 
common in the bay of San Francisco, but the larger examples are 
taken in tolerably deep water outside the bay, especially in the 
vicinity of the Farallones. A large individual that I measured 
as it lay upon the stall was three feet two inches long. Stein- 
dachner gives the range of this species as from Sitka to 
Monterey. 
Chirus constellatus Grd., and C. guttatus Grd—These species 
have been brought to market regularly, though not in great num- 
bers, throughout the three months under review, and indeed 
appear to be always in season. Those brought to market are 
usually taken in the bay. 
Scorpenichthys marmoratus Grd., the large red sculpin— 
Despite the absence of scales upon its body, this species is com- 
monly styled a rock cod. While its nearest relations, the smaller 
sculpins, or catfish, as they are often called here, are thrown away 
by the fishermen, this large sculpin is allowed a place among our 
food fishes. A priori one would expect the other sculpins to be 
good food, and I am assured by those who have tried them that 
they are; all they need is skinning before cooking. 
Sebastes fasciatus Girard, clouded rock cod—The name fas- 
ciatus is much less appropriate than Ayres’s name of nebulosus 
(over which it appears to have the right of priority), since the 
broad light-yellow band which suggested the name is usually 
