668 The American Naturalist. [July, 
Preliminary Note on the Relationship of the Species 
Usually United under the Generic Name Sebastodes.—-On the 
Pacific coast of temperate North America, a large number of species 
of viviparous Scorpaenidae are found. They range all the way from 
tide water to a depth of 1600 feet, from Cerros Island to Alaska. 
They are most abundant on the coast of California, about 30 species 
being known from San Diego and a like number from Monterey. In 
size, they vary from 1 lb. to 30 lbs. 
The species have been variously grouped as forming one genus by 
Jordan & Gilbert, as forming two by Jordan, and as forming four 
by Gill. Jordan & Gilbert, in their Synopsis, arranged the species 
known to them according to the greater or less prominence of the 
spiniferous ridges of the skull. In examining theskulls ofa number of 
them, one of us several years ago, noticed that in a number of species, 
the parietals meet over the supra-occipitals, while in others they are 
separated, and the supra-occipital is exposed above for its whole 
length. 
A more recent examination of a larger series of skulls, tended to 
show that, if we admit the relationships pointed out by Jordan & Gil- 
bert, this greater or less development of the parietals is of no signifi- 
cance. A more thorough study has, however, convinced us that the 
ies with united parietals are related and that the relationships 
pointed out by Jordan & Gilbert are at fault. 
The value placed on such acranial character as the union or non- 
union of the parietals need not be defended here. It may only be 
mentioned that in mystinus which for other reasons we considered the 
hub to which the other groups proposed here are related as spokes, the 
parietals are united in 8 out of 10 specimens. The variation of this 
character in mystinus but confirmed our view that it is the radiating 
point. 
Leaving the parietals, the next prominent characters are the devel- 
opment or non-development of certain cranial spines and ridges. 
‘These spines are found in all stages from minute points to compara- 
tively huge spines. The variation in size for this reason, if there were 
‘no other objections, cannot be utilized for determining generic relation- 
ship. The spines are very regularly arranged and in any given spe- 
cies certain ones are always present. (Individual variations should of 
course be expected in this character as in every other if a sufficient 
‘number of specimens are examined). The constancy of the presence 
of certain spines in a given species warrants the use of the presence or 
absence of these spines in the different species in determining their 
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