60 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Considerable headway toward acquiring the shape and form of the adult has 
been made, and the conical projecting snout and the rudimentary mandibular barbel 
at once identify the fish as a Menticirrhus. The shape of the body in the present 
species remains intermediate of the other local species of the genus, that is, the body 
is slightly deeper than in littoralis, but not as deep as in saxatilis. The pupil, of 
course, remains round, whereas it is definitely elliptical in the other two species. 
The tail is longer and more strongly pointed, the longest rays being longer than the 
head, whereas in littoralis and saxatilis the longest rays are shorter than the head. 
Figure 7 . — Menticirrhus americanus. From a specimen 20 millimeters long. 
Specimens SO to 35 millimeters long. — The body has become somewhat rounder 
anteriorly since a length of 18 to 20 millimeters was attained, and the greatest depth 
now is contained in the length to the base of the caudal fin 3.8 to 4 times, which are 
proportions prevailing in the adult. The mouth is inferior and horizontal, and the 
snout projects rather prominently, as in the adult. The mandibular barbel is very 
short, a mere knob, and scalation is complete. None of the dorsal spine are produced 
and the longest ones reach to the origin of the second fin when deflexed. The caudal 
fin is long and pointed, the longest rays being slightly below the middle of the fin and 
quite as long as the head. The pectoral fins are long and reach almost to the tips 
of the ventrals, or nearly to the vent. The body is fully pigmented, some specimens 
being much darker than others. The lower parts generally are silvery and the upper 
parts brownish. The ground colors are overlaid with irregular dark specks or spots, 
which follow the rows of scales more or less definitely. Some specimens have dark 
blotches and others bear suggestions of dark cross bars. The spinous dorsal is largely 
