FISHES—COTTIDAE-OLIGOCOTTUS ANALIS. 
57 
slender, composed of three soft rays and one spine. Their origin is situated posteriorly to the 
insertion of the pectorals, and their tip reaches, and slightly overlaps the vent, which is situated 
near the anterior margin of the anal fin, and provided upon its posterior edge with a double 
membranous flap. The pectorals, composed of thirteen undivided rays, the eight inferior of 
which, stouter with their membrane emarginated, are well developed. Their insertion is 
unusually oblique, and extends towards the inferior surface of the thorax, while their extremi¬ 
ties project beyond the origin of both the anal and the second dorsal. 
Br.YI: VI; D VIII, 17 ; A 13 ; C 3, 1, 5, 4, 1, 2 ; V I, 3 ; P 13. 
The skin is perfectly smooth and the lateral line well marked, running from the upper part 
of the thoracic arch to the base of the caudal, making a downward inflection or curve upon the 
middle of the flanks. 
The ground color of the upper region of head and body is yellowish brown, mottled or 
varigeated with blackish ; along the dorsal region a series of blotches of a deeper hue may he 
observed from the occiput to the base of the caudal ; the lower half of the sides is rather 
vermiculated than mottled in the male, and the abdomen of a bright saffron or yellow hue. 
The inferior surface of the head presents traces of black markings ; the throat and abdomen are 
unicolor, as also the ventrals and anal. The dorsals, caudal, and pectorals are transversely 
barred upon a yellowish ground. 
This species inhabits the salt waters of the Pacific coast from California to Washington Ter. 
List of specimens. 
| Catalogue number. 1 
Corresponding No. 
of 
1 No. of specimens. 
Age and sex. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Original number. 
Nature of specimens. 
Collected by— 
297 
4 
Adt. 
Tomales bay, California_ 
1855 
E. Samuels _ _ 
Alcoholic.. 
E. Samuels_ 
298 
6 
-do. 
San Francisco bay, Cal.... 
1853 
Lieut. Trowbridge 
_do_ 
Lieut. Trowbridge.« 
299 
1 
_do. 
Ft. Steilacoom, Puget's S’d 
1853 
Gov. Stevens. 
_do_ 
Dr. Suckley. -__ 
2. OLIGOCOTTUS ANALIS, Grd. 
Spec. Char. —Head sub-conical. Mouth moderately cleft; posterior extremity of maxillary extending to a vertical line 
drawn across the posterior rim of the pupil. Preopercular spines moderate. Two acute nasal spines. Dorsal fins contiguous. 
Origin of anal situated posteriorly to the anterior margin of the second dorsal. Dorsal region prickly. Greenish olive, 
maculated and spotted with black. Abdomen whitish, unicolor. 
Syn .—Oligocotlus analis, Grd. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. November, 1857,201. 
The present species seems to he more closely allied to 0. maculosus than to 0. globiceps in the 
shape of its head and in the approximation of its dorsal fins. It, however, resembles more 
0. globiceps by the structure and position of the anal fin. From both it differs by the situation 
of the vent, and the presence along the dorsal region of very minute prickles, such as are some¬ 
times observed in other genera of the cottoid group. 
The largest specimen before us measures nearly three inches and a half in total length. The 
head, which is suh-conical, constitutes about the fifth of it. Its upper surface is rounded, whilst 
it is nearly flat beneath, with the upper jaw slightly overlapping the lower, giving the mouth 
a nearly horizontal gape. The preopercular spines are moderate, less developed than in 
0. maculosus. 
8 a 
