FISHES—EMBIOTOCOIDAE—EMBIOTOCA ORNATA. 
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This species is so closely allied to E. lineata, that on a former occasion it was identified with 
it. The general form is most alike that of the latter species, being sub-elliptical. The head 
seems to preserve the same general proportions in regard to the entire length, hut the snout is 
much more truncated in E. ornata. The frontal outline is also more declivous. The posterior 
extremity of the maxillary extends to a vertical line drawn behind the posterior nostril, 
thus not reaching the anterior rim of the orbit. The anterior nostril is the smallest of the two. 
The eye is sub-circular ; the diameter of the orbit enters four times and a half in the length of 
the side of the head, its anterior rim being nearer the extremity of the snout than in E. lineata. 
The branchiostegals are five on either side. 
The origin of the dorsal fin is situated opposite the anterior extremity ot the base of the 
pectorals ; its eleven spinous rays extend over a base not quite as long as the articulated rays. 
The latter are but twice bifurcated. The origin of the anal is situated more posteriorly than in 
E. lineata , as compared to the dorsal. Its structure presents likewise some differences worth 
noticing: there are, as usual, three short spines; then eleven undivided articulated rays, followed 
by three with signs of division without separation of the branches ; next to these twenty well 
divided ones, with bifurcations of the second degree only. The caudal fin is missing in the 
specimen before us. The articulated rays of the ventral fins subdivide three times, with traces 
of a fourth division in a few ; the insertion of these fins corresponding to a vertical line drawn 
from the fifth dorsal spine. The pectorals, the rays of which subdivide twice with traces of a 
third division, extend posteriorly to the vertical of the tenth dorsal spine. 
The formula of the rays is : 
Br. Y: V ; D XI, 24 ; A III, 11 + 3 + 20 = 34 ; C ? 1, 6, 6, 1, ? ; Y I, 5 ; P 23. 
The ground color above is uniform dark brown, almost blackish. The flanks and abdomen 
are yellowish golden with longitudinal stripes of purple along the line of union of the rows of 
scales. On the thoracic region each scale is provided with a purple spot upon its middle, whilst 
the outer portion has the golden hue of the abdominal scales. The head is dark purple or deep 
reddish brown with sinuating bluish lines on the cheeks and opercular apparatus. 
A specimen of this species, about twelve inches in total length, caught in the bay of San 
Diego, was received in a rather mutilated state. On being opened we found five young ones 
still retained within the folds of the ovaries. Most of the brood, we suppose, had made their 
escape. Those left measure a little less than three inches in total length, their greatest depth 
being equal to the third of the length, (Plate XXYI, fig. 11). The scales are all perfectly 
developed. The spiny rays of the dorsal and anal fins have now the proportional height of 
those in the adult, but the posterior articulated rays of these same fins are much larger and- 
extend beyond the base of the caudal. The caudal is subtruncated, the central rays are 
beginning gradually to recede as well as the posterior rays of both dorsal and anal, which must 
have had a much greater length at a previous period, judging of this by the filaments that 
dropped from their extremity as we removed the young from the ovaries. The body is light 
reddish orange, with the peculiar longitudinal stripes very conspicuous. The two anterior 
thirds of the dorsal, the anterior third of the anal and the base of the ventrals, exhibit a reddish 
orange deeper than on the body ; the posterior third of the dorsal and anal fins are rather 
yellowish. An elongated jet black spot exists near the base of the anterior portion of the soft 
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