FISHES-SCIAENIDAE—LEIOSTOMUS LINEATUS. 
99 
The upper surface of the head is almost uniform purplish brown ; the posterior edge of the 
opercular apparatus being provided with a dark patch, not unlike what is observed in Pomotis 
and allied genera. An obscure or hazy light fascia extends from the origin of the second dorsal 
to the lower part of the abdomen, where it is lost in the uniform yellowish tint which predominates 
over the belly. The fins assume the dark hue of the body, even the ventrals ; the pectorals 
alone being of a greyish olive. 
List of specimens. 
Catalogue number. 
No. of specimens. 
Sex and age. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Nature of specimens. 
Collected by— 
638 
3 
Adult.... 
San Diego, California_ 
1857 
A. Cassidy, U. S. A.. 
Alcoholic... 
A. Cassidy. 
LEIOSTOMUS, Lacep. 
Gen. Char. —Body elongated, more or less subfusiform. Head moderate, anteriorly rounded ; snout thickish, and protruding 
beyond the lower jaw. Mouth large, inconspicuous, velvet-like teeth upon the jaws. Palate toothless. Opercular apparatus 
smooth ; edge of preopercle slightly denticulated, if at all. Branchial apertures continuous under the throat. Two dorsal fins, 
contiguous at their base ; anterior one spinous. Anal fin provided with two small spines. Posterior margin of caudal fin 
concave or subconcave. Insertion of ventrals situated posteriorly to the base of the pectorals. Upper surface of the head 
cheeks, and opercular apparatus scaly. Scales of body of moderate size. 
Stn. — Leiostomus, Lacep. Hist. nat. des Poiss. IV, 1819, 269.—Cuv. & Val. Hist. nat. des Poiss. V, 1830, 140. —De~ 
kay, New Y. Fauna, IV, 1842, 69.— Storer, Synops. 1846, 69. 
This genus is very closely allied to Amblodon, from which it chiefly differs by the inconspicu¬ 
ousness of its maxillary teeth, and which are likewise more uniform. The small anal spines 
constitute another not less important feature. The shape of the caudal fin we consider also 
quite valuable in the diagnoses of these two genera. 
LEIOSTOMUS LINEATUS, Ayres. 
Tlie Little Bass, or Cognard. 
Plate XXIIC, Figs 1—4. 
Spec. Char. —Mouth large ; posterior extremity of maxillary extending to a vertical line intersecting the posterior rim of the 
pupil. Superior and posterior edge of the opercle terminating into two flat spines. Extremities of pectorals nearly even with 
the tips of the ventrals. Scales large. Greyish brown above ; greyish silvery beneath, with oblique waving lines of umber 
brown. 
Syn. — Leiostomus lineatus, Ayres, in Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sc. I, 1855,' 25.— Grd. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VIII, 
1856, 135. ^ 
The head constitutes a little less than the fourth of the total length. The mouth is large, 
for, the posterior extremity of the maxillary extends to a vertical line which would intersect the 
posterior rim of the pupil. The snout itself is thickish and rounded, and projects beyond the 
lower jaw ; the gape of the mouth being nearly horizontal. The eye is subcircular, its hori¬ 
zontal diameter entering about five times and a half in the length of the side of the head. The 
