10(5 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF 



rather large scales. Head moderate, and generally longer than high. Occipito- 

 nasal profile obliquely and moderately decurved. Nape convex. Eyes moderate, 

 above the rostro-opercular line and submedian. Preoperculum more or less 

 serrated behind, rarely entire. Anterior nostrils generally with short fimbri- 

 ated tubes. Mouth oblique and of moderate size; the supratnaxillary bones 

 generally end under the eyes. Teeth pluriserial, margined by an external row 

 of larger ones ; canine teeth generally present on each jaw, in the upper in 

 front, and in the lower on the sides. Front of vomer furnished with a row of 

 small teeth. Branchiostegal rays six on each side. Dorsal fin furnished with 

 ten spines and ten to twelve (rarely fourteen) rays, the former of which form 

 nearly two-thirds of its length ; the spinous portion is convex at the middle 

 and behind much lower than the soft portion ; the membrane is moderately 

 notched behind each spine. Anal fin with three strong spines, the second of 

 which is largest, and six branched rays. Caudal fin generally entire and ab- 

 ruptly truncated. Pectoral fins with "the simply articulated rays moderately 

 produced. 



Type. Cirrhitus maculatus Lacpede. 



The species retained in the genus Cirrhitus as now limited, appear to have 

 the same physiognomy and to bear a strong resemblance to each other: but 

 the Cirrhitus maculatus, which was the only species of the genus known to its 

 founder, has a small patch of teeth on the anterior portion of each palatine 

 bone, while in all the others the teeth are confined to the front of the vomer. 

 For this reason Drs. Bleeker and Giinther have referred that species, although 

 the type of Cirrhitus, to the genus Cirrhitichthys, established by the former 

 naturalist for fishes differing from Cirrhitus by the presence of palatine teeth. 

 As the Cirrhitinse with unarmed palatine bones do not appear to differ in any 

 other respect from the Cirrhitus maculatus, and as the dentigerous palatine area 

 is very small, we retain the species having the same specialized resemblance in 

 the genus. 



Cirrhitichthys is apparently an excellent genus, and is consequently retained, 

 but with quite different limits and on other grounds than those for which it 

 has been distinguished by Bleeker and Gunther. As before mentioned, it was 

 separated by them from Cirrhitus on account of the presence of palatine teeth. 

 The most essential character appears to us to be the form of the head. 

 Nine species of the genus are now known. 



Palatine bones with teeth anteriorly C. marmoratus. 



Palatine bones unarmed. 



Preoperculum denticulated. 

 Dorsal IX. I. 10, 11. 



Body not transversely banded. 7 simple pec- 

 toral rays. 

 Pectoral thickened, not extending beyond 

 the anus. 



Scales of the lateral line 40 C. alternatus.*_ 



Scales of lateral line 48 50. 



Head simply dotted with black C. Fosteri. 



Head with a margined area behind the eyes. 



Area marked by a whitish semicircular line, 

 edged with brownish ; sides above late- 

 ral line with a longitudinal whitish band..C. arcatus. 

 Area brown, bounded by yellow; sides with 



many (16) longitudinal lines C. amblycephalus. 



C. alternatus has five indistinct, oblique, purple bands, the first of which alternate below 

 the lateral line with their lower halves, while the last is continuous. But, as it has seven 

 simple pectoral rays, and is closely allied to C. marmoratus and C. Forsteri, it is placed 



between them. _, , 



[March, 



