The Coloration of Fishes. J5 



THE COLORATION OF FISHES. 



The coloration of fishes has never received the attention it mer- 

 its. There is no other group of vertebrates in which there is such 

 a similarity of color as in widely separated fishes inhabiting sim- 

 ilar localities, nor are there any other vertebrates changing color 

 in such a remarkable manner with the different locality. There 

 are certain tide pools about San Diego which are lined with va- 

 rious species of coralline sea-weed. These pools are inhabited by 

 Clinus evides J. & G. , Oligocottus analis, Grd., and Cremnobates 

 integripinnis R. Smith, which all resemble the mottled sea- weed 

 to such an extent that they can not be distinguished except when 

 moving. Oligocottus analis is also found in pools with green sea- 

 weeds only, in which case the fish again assumes the exact color of 

 the sea-weed. Clinus evides also assumes various markings in dif- 

 erent surroundings. One of the rock cods, Sebastichthys vex- 

 illaris J. & G., varies from flesh color to the brightest scarlet 

 and olive color. A local fisherman explains the color of this fish 

 by the fact, discovered by him that fishes in shallow water are likely 

 to be blacker, those in deep water lighter, and those on hard, 

 rocky bottom of moderate depth bright red. One other fish, 

 Scorpaena guttata, deserves special mention. It is found both 

 in the bay and outside, on the rock-cod banks. Those found in 

 the bay are dull colored, chiefly brown, variously mottled, while 

 those trom the outside have the brown replaced by the brightest 

 scarlet. The color is so strikingly different that I have repeatedly 

 thought the two fishes to be distinct. Then, there is the varia- 

 tion of color from the young to the adult, as in the case of Pom- 

 acentrus rubicundus Grd., which is bright blue marked with or- 

 ange when young, and uniform flame scarlet in the adult stage. 

 It would certainly amply repay some one to study in detail the 

 color variation of the fishes of some limited region. 



C H Eigenmann. 



CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD A LIST OF THE 

 FAUNA AND FLORA OF WET MOUNT- 

 AIN VALLEY, COLORADO.— VI. 



(Compiled for the Colorado Biological Association.) 

 VIII. COLEOPTERA. 



The beetles of the valley are exceedingly numerous, and, 

 thanks to Dr. John Hamilton, Dr. Geo. H. Horn, Dr. C. V. 

 Riley and Mr. L. O. Howard, we have obtained identifications of 

 most of the species. 



i. Creophilus villosus Grav. 



2. Philonthus furvus. 



3. Philonthus ceneus (Rossi) Nordm. West Cliff and near 

 Swift Creek. 



