34-O H. H. NEWMAN. 



the iridescence and general dark body coloration has nearly dis- 

 appeared. The males are still greener than the females but the 

 difference in the intensity of the coloration is far from marked. 



When the fish were fed it was noticeable that the males always 

 erected the dorsal fin when they made a dash for a fragment of 

 food. They seem to raise this fin whenever excited in any way. 



Sexual Dimorphism. 



The following extracts referring to sexual dimorphism are 

 taken from Jordan and Evermann's systematic account : 



" Body very short and robust, in adults high and much compressed, the 

 females abruptly constricted at the base of the caudal peduncle. . . . Dorsal 

 fin moderate, in females as high as the length of its base, in males much 

 higher ; origin of dorsal midway between base of caudal and end of snout ; 

 base of fin il to if in length of head ; longest ray (in male 2 inches long) 

 reaching half way from base of fin to base of caudal, the anterior rays equal- 

 ing length of head and extending beyond tips of posterior rays when the fin 

 is depressed ; in females the longest ray about i^ in head ; origin of anal 

 under eighth or ninth ray of dorsal, the fin very small and much higher 

 than long ; length of base about equaling snout ; longest ray half length of 

 head (less in females). No external oviduct. Caudal truncate or slightly 

 emarginate, i^ in head ; ventrals, in adult males, reaching in front of anals, 

 2\ in head ; in females reaching vent ; . . . Scales large, tuberculate in 

 males, arranged in regular series ; . . . Color ; Male olivaceous ; from 

 dorsal forward above pectoral to head deep, lustrous steel blue, the color 

 very intense and conspicuous in life ; rest of upper parts with rather green- 

 ish luster, becoming dull slaty blue, and on cheeks, opercles, sides anteri- 

 orly and belly deep salmon color ; lower lip and preopercle violet ; dorsal 

 blackish, the anterior margin of fin orange ; caudal dusky olive with jet- 

 black bar at tip, and a narrow black cross-streak at base ; anal dusky at 

 base, bordered entirely around with bright orange ; ventrals dusky, 

 bordered with orange ; pectorals dusky orange, darker below. Smaller 

 specimens show some orange shading on the sides, and sometimes also 

 traces of the cross-bands of the female. Female very light olive ; lower 

 half of the sides with about 14 alternately wide and narrow vertical, dark 

 bars, those anteriorly narrower and closer together ; usually 7 or 8 dark 

 cross-bars on the back, alternating with the wide bars below ; these bars 

 are of various degrees of distinctness, sometimes almost obsolete ; a dusky 

 area below eye ; young with broad greenish cross shades wider than the 

 interspaces ; belly pale or yellowish ; lower jaw largely blue ; cheeks 

 brassy ; dorsal dusky, with an intense black, faintly ocellated spot near tip 

 of last rays ; caudal faintly reddish, with a black bar toward base ; other 

 fins pale orange, with some dark points. Length : Male 3 inches ; female 



