18 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
a uniform green color, broken only by dark markings, and agree closely in color with the green algae 
( Viva), among which specimens exhibiting this type of coloration live. 
This is the largest and most common cottoid in the pools of Monterey Bay, and is found every- 
where about the bay from low to high water mark, but especially in the shallow exposed pools high 
up on the coast, which contain almost no algae. Its dull, almost uniform, color agrees very well with 
the bare rocks and sand. It is much less common at Pillar Point, San Mateo County, where its place 
is partly taken by Oligocottus maculosus. The young have much larger scales proportionally than the 
adults, and the scales extend forward as far as the origin of the spinous dorsal, while in old indi- 
viduals these anterior scales have entirely disappeared, and their place is taken by cirri as far hack 
as the soft dorsal, while the posterior scales are greatly obscured. 
EXIMIA Greeley, new genus. 
Allied to Oligocottus, but differing in the presence of a large three-pointed preopercular spine 
instead of the simple forked spine of Oligocottus. Skin smooth. A slit behind last gill. 
Eximia rubellio Greeley, new species. Fig. 5. 
Head 2.83; eye 3.75 in head; snout 3.75; D. vii or vm, 15 or 16; A. 12 or 13; P. 13 or 14; V. i, 3. 
Body compressed, snout pointed and compressed, head deep, occiput narrow, slightly concave; 
interorbital space narrow, half the large eye, shallowly grooved. Nasal spines prominent, very large, 
and pointed. Teeth small, pointed, on jaws, vomer, and palatines; jaws equal, mouth horizontal, 
maxillary 3 in head, reaching a vertical below anterior edge of pupil. Margin of preopercle armed 
w 7 ith a very strong spine as long as eye, extending backward and downward, hearing on its upper 
surface a second and third spine, both pointing back and up; all the spines covered with skin in life; 
opercle ending in a rounded flap. Branchiostegals 6, not united to isthmus; gills 31, a slit behind 
last gill. Anal papilla inconspicuous. Dorsal fins not joined; first dorsal beginning in advance 
of margin of opercle, first two spines short, upper margin slightly rounded, soft dorsal beginning 
in advance of origin "of the anal; all rays and spines very slender ; pectorals reaching well beyond 
origin of anal; anal fin small, rays slender, membranes emarginated between each ray; in males the 
first ray enlarged, the second slightly elongated, the two united, and not separated from rest of fin, 
as in Dialarchus snyderi; ventrals situated below upper edge of base of pectorals, just reaching anus. 
Cirri all distinct, never joined at base in a comb as in Dialarchus snyderi; three pairs of bunches 
of two or three cirri each above orbits, first bunch directly above nasal spines, three pairs on top of 
head behind orbits, a few scattered cirri below these on sides of head, a bunch of two or three ou end 
of maxillary, a row on lower margin of preopercle, a large bunch above the preopercular spines, and 
several scattered cirri on margin of opercle; a row of bunched cirri along anterior half of lateral line, 
a row along base of dorsal, including a bunch of three or four for each spine and ray, the row bending 
downward at last spine of first dorsal, leaving a space between cirri and base of dorsal spines; a few 
scattered cirri between dorsal and lateral rows and below lateral line behind pectoral fins. 
Color light brown to all shades of light red, pink, or lavender, spotted everywhere with white 
spots extremely minute on dorsal half of body, but more conspicuous ventrally ; five wedge-shaped 
spots of dark brown along dorsal side of body; head dark brown, sometimes blotched with red or 
