FJSHES-COTTIDAE—LEPTOCOTTUS ARMATUS. 
61 
margin of that fin, and provided posteriorly with a small flap. The ventrals are small and 
slender, composed of four soft and one spinous rays. Their origin is hut very little behind the 
inferior portion of the insertion of the pectorals. The distance between their posterior extremity 
and the vent is equal to the length of the same fins. The pectorals are broad and well 
developed ; their extremities extend as far backwards as the third or fourth ray of the second 
dorsal, and consequently near the origin of the anal and stretching beyond the vent. They are 
composed of nineteen or twenty undivided rays, the inferior ones shorter and stouter than the 
upper, and their intervening membrane emarginated. 
B VI: VI; D VIII, 18 ; A 17; C 6, 1, 5, 4, 1, 7 ; V I, 4 ; P 20. 
The skin is perfectly smooth; the lateral line conspicuous, nearer the dorsal than the ventral 
outline along the anterior half of the flank, hut running along its middle posteriorly, and 
thus reach the base of the caudal fin. 
The ground color is of a coffee brown above, maculated or clouded with deep black. The 
inferior surface of the head, the extremity of the maxillaries, the inferior part of the opercular 
apparatus, the entire hranchiostegal apparatus, the belly, ventral fins, the anal, and inferior 
part of the tail, are of a uniform whitish or yellow, with a metallic reflect, which extends even 
to the sides. The caudal and pectoral fins are yellowish, transversely barred with large bands 
of black. The dorsals are likewise yellow, longitudino-obliquely barred with black. A jet 
black spot, moreover, is to he observed upon the upper and posterior margin of the anterior 
dorsal fin. 
This species seems to he quite common along the Pacific coast, from Puget’s Sound, Oregon, 
to San Diego, California. The largest specimens were those from fort Steilacoom and the bay 
of Monterey, and measured from twelve to fourteen inches. 
Reference to the figure .—Plate XY, fig. 2, represents Leptocottus armatus, size of life. 
List of specimens. 
Catalogue numbers. 
No. of specimens. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Nature of spe¬ 
cimens. 
Collected by— 
301 
6 
Cape Flattery W T 
1853 
Governor Stevens_ 
Alcoholic 
Dr. Suckley 
302 
4 
Fort Steilacoom, W. T 
1853 
303 
12 
Shoal Water bay, W T. . 
1853 
Dr. Cooper 
304 
3 
Humboldt bay ? Cal 
1853 
Lieut. Trowbridge_ 
_do. 
Lt. Trowbridge.- 
305 
1 
San Francisco Cal 
1853 
306 
3 
Monterey Cal 
1853 
307 
1 
San Pedro Cal 
1853 
_do. 
308 
2 
Fort Point, Cal_ 
1853 
309 
4 
San Diego, Cal _ _ 
1853 
A. Cassidy 
310 
4 
San Francisco, Cal_ 
1853 
Lieut. Williamson___ 
Dr. Heermann 
311 
3 
San Francisco, Cat 
1856 
I)r. Newberry... 
312 
2 
Tomales Bav, Cal_ 
1855* 
E. Samuels_-_ 
E. Samuels_ 
502 
1 
Sands of Monterey Beach__ 
1856 
A. S. Taylor.-----_----- 
_do. 
A. S. Taylor_ 
