103 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 



orbital and nuchal filaments. The orbital filaments are stated by Dr. Dekay to 

 "subdivide into six or eight smaller processes, each of which terminate in 

 several slender filaments, not thicker than the finest thread;" Valenciennes 

 describes them as divided to their base in ten or twelve slender filaments. 

 Dr. Dekay informs us that the nuchal filaments are nine or ten on each side, 

 each bifid or trifid ; Valenciennes describes them as being arranged in two 

 pectiniform rows, each row consisting of thirty or more. 



Another variation of Lepisoma cirrhosum from Labrosomus pectinifer 

 is concerning the vomero-palatine dentition ; Dekay mentions that "in the 

 upper jaw, in front, is a series of equal, conical, slightly recurved teeth, some- 

 what longer than those below, smaller on the sides ; behind the outer row, in 

 front, is a patch of minute crowded teeth. Similar teeth in bands on the 

 vomer and palates. On the anterior part of the vomer is a very large solitary 

 tooth." This description of the vomerine and palatine teeth is ambiguous, 

 and may be variously interpreted. If by it is meant that the vomero-palatine 

 teeth are in several rows, or in a villiform band, it widely disagrees with the 

 Labrosomus pectinifer. In the latter species there is but one row of stout 

 conic teeth, like those of the outer row of the upper jaw, with " a very large 

 solitary tooth on the anterior part of the vomer." A figure is given of the 

 dentition of the Lepisoma cirrhosum, but very little reliance can be 

 placed on it. The vomerine and palatine teeth are certainly represented as 

 pluriserial, but there is no "very large solitary tooth " represented on the 

 vomer. A doubt may therefore arise respecting the propriety of referring 

 Lepisoma cirrhosum to Labrosomus pectinifer. Considering, however, 

 that the description of the former, in all respects except those above men- 

 tioned, agrees with the latter ; that the number of rays is almost exactly 

 similar ; that in each, a larger tooth is at the front of the vomer, and that the 

 description and figure of the dentition of Lepisoma c i r r h o s u m do not agree 

 with each other ; it appears almost certain that the two belong tothe same 

 species, and that error has entered into the description and illustration of the 

 species as well as in the allocation of the genus. 



The Labrosomus pectinifer is widely distributed through the Caribbean 

 Sea, and is found at the Islands of Barbados, Trinidad, St. Thomas, Jamaica, 

 Cuba, as well as at the Bahama Islands and on the coast of Florida. 



The specimens from which Valenciennes described the species were obtained 

 at Brazil and at Bahia. A specimen from Brazil does not specifically differ 

 from West Indian ones. 



Valenciennes even observes that it is one of the small number of species 

 that cross the Atlantic ocean. A specimen is stated by him to have been ob- 

 tained by Adanson among the rocks of the Island of Gorea, in January, 1750. 



2. Labrosomus fasciatus Gill. 



Clinus fasciatus Castelnau, Animaux nouveaux ou rares recueilles, &c, 

 dans l'Amerique du sud. Poissons, p. 26, pi. xii. fig. 2, 1855. 



This species is very closely related to the Labrosomus pectinifer Sw., 

 and it was at first believed that it was probably only a variety. My friend, J. 

 C. Brevoort, Esq., has since sent me an outline of the figure of Castelnau and 

 a copy of his description, and I am now disposed to regard it as a true species. 



The Labrosomus pectinifer is sometimes found with four dark brown 

 vertical bars, between which are smaller and more obscure ones, interrupted 

 at the middle. Such appears to have been the variety mentioned by Drs. 

 Miiller and Troschel in their list of the Fishes collected by Sir Robert Schom- 

 burgh at the island of Barbados, and published in the "Annals and ]\4agazine 

 of Natural History" and the History of Barbados. This variety, in every 

 other respect, resembles typical individuals of the species, and has, like them, 

 the rays of the caudal and pectoral fins covered with five or six rows of spots. 



[April, 



