FISHES—EMBIOTOCOIDAE—HOLCONOTUS RHODOTERUS. 
195 
above the groove is composed of two rows of scales anteriorly, tapering into one posteriorly. 
The supplementary row is often rudimentary, and composed of but few and quite small scales. 
The scales themselves (figs. B—5, and 8—10) are deeper than'long, rounded upon the posterior, 
superior, and inferior outlines ; sub-linear, and sometimes rounded upon their anterior outline 
also. 
The ground color above is either bluish grey, olive, or purplish blue ; the sides and abdomen 
are silvery, sometimes yellowish. On the middle of the flanks, below tbe lateral line, there are 
about ten series of purplish spots corresponding to as many rows of scales, neither extending in 
advance of the pectorals, nor to the posterior margin of the body. These spots, on a close 
examination, may be resolved into an accumulation of minute dots, situated on the middle of 
the scales, sometimes occupying their whole width, when these spots then assume the shape of 
longitudinal bands. The silvery area between the series of spots may likewise be scattered 
over with similar minute dots. The thoracic and abdominal regions are yellowish golden. 
The fins are pale yellow ; the spinous portion of the dorsal fin is maculated with blackish, and 
sometimes a large spot may be observed upon the anterior part of the articulated portion of the 
same fin. The caudal is greyish. 
We have seen individuals in which the lateral spots were so obsolete as not to be apparent on 
a superficial examination, the sides in this case exhibiting a uniform silvery aspect; whilst in 
others, particularly of the male sex, the spots assumed such a preponderance over the ground 
color as to give to the whole body an almost uniform deep purplish blue tint, which would 
extend even to the abdominal and thoracic regions, as well as over the sides and upper surface 
of the head. The fins partook more or less of the hue of the body. Others still, with the 
same deep hue of the spots, exhibited light silvery stripes along the point of union of the rows 
of scales. The anal and ventrals almost always exhibiting a lighter shade than the other fins. 
Sometimes an interruption in the longitudinal direction of the series of spots makes the latter 
to appear as if disposed upon transverse facias. 
When the embryo is from three-quarters to an inch long (Plate XXVI, figs. 7 and 8) the body 
is elongated, more fusiform than in the adult. The head is rounded anteriorly, and the mouth 
not open as yet. A vitelline abdominal sac is still present. The spinous portion of the dorsal 
fin is quite low and its rays, eight in number, increasing slightly in height from the first to 
the last. The ninth or anterior spine, the lowest in the adult, has not yet made its appearance. 
The soft portion of the dorsal is proportionally higher than in the adult, and increases in height 
from forwards backwards. The extremity of the posterior rays extending somewhat beyond 
the base of the caudal, which is posteriorly rounded instead of being forked as in the adult. 
The anal, likewise deeper than in the adult, is convex upon its exterior margin, and the tips of 
its posterior rays may also be observed stretching beyond the base of the caudal. The anterior 
spiny rays have not yet made their appearance. The ventrals and pectorals are also wanting. 
The species seems to inhabit the whole western coast of the United States, since no appreciable 
differences are to be detected on specimens collected at San Diego, San Francisco, California; 
Shoalwater Bay and Puget’s Sound, Oregon. 
Plate XXXV, fig. 1, represents the female sex of Holconotus rhodoterus, size of life, from the 
harbor of San Diego, California. 
Fig. 2 is a section across the line of greatest depth. 
