82 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS-ZOOLOGY-GENERAL REPORT. 
We have seen specimens of this species measuring from eighteen to twenty inches in total 
length. We take the former as basis to our description. 
The greatest depth, which corresponds to the thoracic region, enters a little more than three 
times and a half in the total length ; hence the body tapers rather rapidly towards the peduncle 
of the tail. The head constitutes about the two-sevenths of the total length ; its upper surface 
is spineless and covered with minute scales. A small spine upon the supra-scapular hone, two 
others upon the edge of the opercle, and from five to seven upon the limb of the preopercle, are 
all that is observed upon the side of the head, and since they are diminutive in size, the entire 
head assumes quite an unarmed appearance. The largest are those upon the convexity of the 
preopercle. The opercular apparatus is covered with scales a good deal larger than upon the 
cheeks and sides of the snout. The sub-orbital bone, which extends over the cheek, is rather 
small and inconspicuous. The eye is large and circular, its diameter entering about four times 
and a half in the length of the side of the head. Both nostrils are situated nearer the anterior 
rim of the orbit than the edge of the upper jaw. The lower jaw is very prominent, projecting 
considerably beyond the upper ; the gape of the mouth is oblique upwards ; the posterior 
extremity of the maxillary, very much dilated, extends to a vertical line drawn inwardly to the 
posterior rim of the orbit. 
The origin of the dorsal fin is situated opposite, or else slightly in advance of a line drawn in 
front of the base of the pectoral fins. Its spinous portion, although occupying a greater extent 
of the base than the soft portion, is lower than the latter. It is composed of thirteen spiny 
rays, the anterior one of which is the smallest; they increase in height to the sixth and seventh, 
hence diminish to the twelfth ; the last spine is again higher, though but half the height of 
the anterior articulated ray. Of the latter kind we observe fifteen which diminish in height 
posteriorly. The caudal fin enters a little more than five times and a half in the total length ; 
its posterior margin is concave or semilunar. Three spiny rays (the first one quite small, the 
other two, stout) and nine articulated ones compose the anal fin. Its anterior margin is 
situated posteriorly to the anterior margin of the soft portion of the dorsal. The posterior 
extremity of the ventrals does not extend to the vent. The pectorals are broad ; the ten lower 
rays are simple, and stouter than the remaining upper ones; the tip of these fins extends 
almost as far as the tip of the ventrals. 
Br. Y1I: YII; D XIII, 15 ; A III, 8 ; C 4, 1, 6, 6, 1, 3 ; Y I, 5 ; P 19. 
A smaller specimen than the one from which the above formula was taken, and likewise from 
Astoria, exhibits thirteen soft and articulated rays to the dorsal fin. The rudimentary rays of 
the caudal are also more numerous. In the two specimens from Cape Flattery we find in one 
fifteen, and in the other sixteen, articulated rays in the dorsal fin. The scales are large and very 
much imbricated, since two-thirds of each scale is covered by its neighbor. The small accessory 
scales seem to be less numerous than in the foregoing species. 
The upper surface of the head and the dorsal region above the lateral line are almost black, 
or else of a purplish black. The side of the body is yellowish, with an irregular purplish black 
spot upon nearly all the scales. The side of the head is of a lighter purplish black. The 
inferior region is of a soiled yellow, though of a metallic hue. The fins are unicolor, of a 
dark purple tint. 
