NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 143 



nearly uniform at its respective parts, the soft being rather higher than the 

 spinous. 



The anal fin commences at or close before the middle of the length. 



The caudal, when expanded, is truncated, and forms a sixth (*17) of the 

 total length. 



The pectorals have very oblique bases, and equal in length the height of 

 the body, (*19). The ventrals are inserted somewhat before the lower axilla 

 of the pectoral, from which each is separated by a space equal to the base of 

 the pectoral. The length equals an eleventh of the total. 



The tubules of the lateral line are generally more or less trifid (rarely quad- 

 rifid) on each scale. 



1 



D. VIII. 13. A. III. 10 -. Scales 25. 



1 



The color of the upper half, except a lighter band below the dorsal fin, is 

 lark purplish, and abruptly separated from the light brownish or rose of the 

 lower half. The soft portion of the dorsal is margined with whitish ; the 

 rest, as well as almost the whole of the spinous portion, is dark. The basal 

 half of the anal is light brownish, and the margined half whitish. The cau- 

 dal has above and below a narrow marginal line of whitish and a submar- 

 ginal purplish band ; the rest is yellowish. The upper axilla of the pecto- 

 rals has a dark purple dot. 



Many specimens of this species, the largest of which is three inches long, 

 were obtained by Mr. Xantus. 



Group XIRICHTHYS. 



This group, embracing the Xirichthyinse with an interrupted line, is repre- 

 sented by a number of genera which may be briefly characterized as follows : 



I. Dorsal spines 9 (10). 



A. First two spines forming a distinct fin. 



Cheeks with small scales Novacula. 



Cheeks naked (Xirichthys pavo C. V.) Iniistius. 



B. Dorsal fin continuous. 



C. Cheeks naked. 



<*. Scales large. 



Ventrals thoracic Xirichthys. 



Ventrals subjugular (Xir. tceniurusC. V.) Malacocentrus. 



/?. Scales small (Xir. micro! epidotus C. V.) Cymolutes Gthr. 



CC. Cheeks with large scales. 

 a. Supramaxillars normal. 



1. Head and eyes moderate. 



Dorsal and anal acutely angulated near end Cheilinus. 



Dorsal and anal angulated at end (Cheil. arena- 



tus C. V.) Oxycheilinus. 



2. Head very large ; eyessmall ( Cheil. undulatus C. V.)..Crassilabrus. 

 0. Supramaxillars prelonged behind by a membran- 

 ous extension Epibulus. 



II. Dorsal spines 11 Cirrhilabrus. 



There is another genus (Doratonotus Gthr.) which is said to have the spinous 

 portion of the dorsal strongly depressed in the middle. It has as yet been 

 only indicated. The Xirichthys altipinnis of Ruppell has a similar depression 

 of the dorsal. 



Xirichthys mundiceps Gill. 

 The greatest height close behind the ventral fins nearly equals a quarter 

 (23-100) of the total length ; the elevation above the axis is nearly uniform 

 at the spinous dorsal, but under the soft is slowly decurved to the caudal pe- 



1862.] 



