FISHES—EMBIOTOCOIDAE—EMBIOTOCA PERSPICABILIS. 
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less than five times, as is the case in E. lineata and E. ornata. The undivided rays are nine in 
number, followed hy twenty-one divided up to the third division. The insertion of the ventral 
fins is opposite the fifth dorsal spine. Their external spine is slender and acute, and the 
articulated rays bifurcate three times, hut the third bifurcation does not affect all the sub¬ 
divisions. The pectorals are broadly developed and their posterior extremities reach a vertical 
line which would intersect the last dorsal spine. Their rays subdivide four times. Thus, in 
the fins, we find : 
Br. V: V; D X, 24; A III, 9 + 21 = 30 ; C 3, 1, 6, G, 1, 2, V I, 5 ; P 22. 
The lateral line forms a curve parallel to that of the back. It contains sixty-two scales. 
There are eight longitudinal rows of scales above it and eighteen beneath, largest on the middle 
of the flanks. The scales themselves are generally longer than deep, provided with hut few 
radiating furrows, and oftentimes not even fully developed, as represented in fig. 3. Scales are 
well developed on the opercle and cheeks, but rather small in the supratympanic group. 
The ground color is dark reddish brown above and on the sides, with light longitudinal 
stripes between the rows of scales on the latter region. On the abdomen and thoracic region 
the hue is of a soiled yellow, with partial metallic reflections. The dorsal, caudal, and anal 
fins have the same general tint as the upper region of the body, with, perhaps, a redder hue. 
The ventrals and pectorals are reddish inwardly and olivaceous outwardly. 
The specimen figured being a female, on being opened was found to contain about eighty 
young of an average size of half an inch. The whole embryo consisting of cells, with no signs 
yet of the cleft of the mouth. A layer of black pimentum constituted the eye. Membranous 
ridges above and below showed the first steps w in the formation of the fins. The caudal itself 
was a mere membranous expansion of the cellular substance of the body. As such, the embryos 
had made their escape from the eggs. They could he seen lying between the ovarian mem¬ 
branes in the manner described on p. 165. 
This species inhabits Puget’s Sound ; the specimen figured and described was procured at 
Fort Steilacoom, on the 1st of February, 1855, by Dr. Geo. Suckley, who made the following 
observation : “ This fish was speared in shallow salt water. It is said to he excellent for the 
table, and is found in tolerable numbers. Below the lateral line are eighteen mazarine blue 
streaks, running nearly parallel from gills to tail, and both above and below the lateral line a 
series of blue spots, disposed crescentically beneath the eye and on the opercles. The spaces 
between these spots are of an olivaceous color, changing, according to light, to resplendent 
golden and purplish green reflections. The mazarine blue of the back is darker than it is on 
the sides below the lateral line. When fresh caught the general color of the fish, as it first 
strikes the eye, is rather more of an indigo blue than a mazarine. Anterior part of the belly 
golden.” 
Plate XXXII, fig. 1, represents Embiotoca 'perspicabilis, somewhat reduced in size. 
Fig. 2 is a section across the line of greatest depth. 
Fig. 3, a scale from the dorsal region. 
Fig. 4, a scale from the lateral line. 
Fig. 5, a scale from the abdominal region. 
Plate XXVI, fig. 1, exhibits the embryo, size of life, as removed from the ovarian sheath. 
Fig. 2, the same embryo, double its natural size. 
