62 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
reduced on the chest; the short anal, which typically has only 7 rays; the long 
pectorals, which reach nearly or quite to the tips of the ventrals; and by the presence 
of obscure bars and blotches on the sides and back. The large roundish pupil 
remains conspicuous and readily distinguishes this species from the other local forms. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE YOUNG 
It has been shown elsewhere (p. 53) that the young under 20 millimeters in length 
were taken more abundantly off Beaufort Inlet than in the inside waters. The larger 
ones, however, were caught equally as often and in equally large numbers within the 
harbor and adjacent waters as off the inlet. This species was not taken in the surf 
along the outer shores of the “banks”, which apparently is a favorite habitat of the 
young of the other local species of the genus. It seems evident, furthermore, that 
the young, like the adults, are chiefly bottom dwelling. Larvae under 10 millimeters 
in length appeared in the surface tow only 3 times, whereas in about an equal number 
of hauls on the bottom they were taken 22 times. Individuals over 10 millimeters 
in length were not taken at the surface with the gear used, namely, 1-meter tow nets, 
and only a few exceeding a length of 10 millimeters were taken with this apparatus 
on the bottom. 
The failure to capture the larger young with meter tow nets on the bottom where 
they certainly were present, as shown by large catches made with an especially 
constructed otter trawl, no doubt was caused by their ability either to avoid the meter 
nets or to escape from them. It is unfortunate that no satisfactory net for catching 
fish, except small larvae, at the surface has become available. Since the surface of the 
waters could not be properly sampled for young of about 10 millimeters and upward 
in length, it cannot be stated definitely that these larger young do not occur there. 
However, according to the data secured (which may not be entirely reliable, as 
already shown) the habitat of the young is almost identical with that of the adult; 
that is, fish of near]} 7 all ages inhabit both inside and off-shore waters and apparently 
are almost wholly bottom dwelling. 
GROWTH 
While the measurements secured are not numerous, it is believed, nevertheless, 
that they show in a general way the growth of the young during the first several 
months of life. All the measurements made, both of young and adults, are tabulated 
by months in 5-millimeter groups in table 1. It is evident from this table that the 
young of the 0-class are readily distinguishable from the older fish until about the 
end of September. In October and November this class is less clearly distinct. 
During the winter months, that is, from December to March, an insufficient number 
of fish was taken to give reliable data. In table 2 the range in size of the 0-class and 
the arithmetical average of the specimens measure are shown for each month. The 
upper extreme may not be quite accurate for the fall months. However, the few 
larger specimens that may have been wrongly assigned to either year class would not 
affect the average length greatly. 
It is evident from the tables presented that the range in size of the 0-class is very 
great toward the end of the summer and in the fall. In September, for example, 
when spawning probably has just ended, the range in length of the specimens of the 
0-class measured extends from 2.5 to 156 millimeters. In November the difference in 
size of the specimens of this same class (if the data were correctly interpreted) is 
