NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 107 



111 the normal variety of the Labrosomus pectinifer, the bauds, although 

 present, are faint and confused. 



The Labrosomus fasciatus, from the figure and description of Castlenau, 

 appears to differ from the L. pectinifer or its variety, by the absence of 

 the intermediate, interrupted and fainter bands, and of the rows of spots on 

 the caudal, by the red color of the abdomen and opercula, and of the ventral, 

 pectoral and caudal fins, as well as of the broad marginal band of the soft por- 

 tion of the dorsal fin. The following is the description given by Castlenau : 



" Ressemble pour la forme au pectinifer, et a une tache semblable a Poper- 

 oule. Le corps est d'un brun clair avec quatre, larges bandes transversales 

 d'un brun tres obscur ; l'opercule, la gorge, la partie inferieure de la tete et 

 la moitie anterieure des dessons du corps sont d'un beau rouge vix ; les 

 nageoires anale et ventrale sont de cette ratine couleur. 



"De Rio Janeiro." 



3. Labrosomus capillatus Sw. 



Synonymy. 



Clinus capillatus Val., Hist. Nat. des Poissons, vol. xi. p. 377. 



Labrisomus capillatus Sw., Nat. Hist. Fishes, Amphibians and Reptiles, vol. 

 ii. p. 277. 



Clinus capillatus Mull and Trosch., con Schomburgh, Annals and Mag. of 

 Nat. Hist. 2d ser. vol. ii. p. 16 ; ib. in Schomburgh's Barbados. 



The Labrosomus capillatus is recorded as an inhabitant of the same 

 coasts as the L. p ec t ini f er. It is very nearly allied to the latter, but 

 differs from it by the immaculate pectoral fins, and the spot on the operculum 

 is bordered with white. 



4. Labrosomus X a n t i Gill. 



This species in form and proportions is very nearly allied to Labrosomus 

 pectinifer. 



It attains a length of about six inches. Of the length, the head, from the 

 front row of teeth to the margin of the operculum forms a fourth part, and 

 the caudal fin about a seventh. The greatest height is rather less than the 

 head's length. The dorsal outline from the nape to the posterior third of the 

 dorsal fin is nearly straight and scarcely convex, and thence gradually declines 

 in a slight curve to the end of the fin, when the height of the caudal peduncle 

 is scarcely more than a fourth of the length of the head. 



The profile from the eyes to the snout slopes more gradually than in Labro- 

 somus pectinifer, and the suborbital is less broad. 



The dorsal commences behind the vertical of the preopercle, and the spines 

 regularly increase in height towards the middle of the spinous portion, and 

 thence slightly decrease towards the soft portion, which is almost twice as high 

 as the last spine. 



The pectoral fins are produced at its middle rays, and their length is equal 

 to nearly a fifth of that of the body. The articulated rays of all the fins are 

 simple and unbranched as in its congener. 



D xviii.4-13 ; A iii. 18 ; C 7+7 ; P 14 ; V 3. 



The color of the body is brown, crossed by about ten darker bands. The 

 head is dotted with blackish, and from the posterior and inferior borders of 

 the eye, two bands proceed obliquely to the margin of the preopercle. The 

 opercle is darker than the preopercle, but there is no black spot. The dorsal 

 has the basal portion of the membrane between the first and third spines 

 blackish ; the rest of the n en brane is tinged with purple, but immaculate. 

 The basal half of the fin is covered with scales as in Labrosomus pectinifer. 

 The anal fin is crossed by six ob^que purplish bands. The caudal, pectorals 

 and ventrals are immaculate. 

 I860.] 



