NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 251 



The color is a very dark purplish brown, darker on the fins and on the trunk, 

 irregularly mottled with lighter brown spots. 



Two specimens of this species are in the collection, one thirteen inches and 

 a half long, and the other little more than five inches long. In color it most 

 resembles the Rhypticus nigripinnis (Gill) from Panama, -but that has only two 

 dorsal spines, and might therefore perhaps more properly be referred to the 

 genus Promicropterus. I dedicate it to Mr. Xantus, who has made the magnifi- 

 cent collection, of which a part is here described. 



Rhypticus maculatus Gill. 



The greatest height equals a quarter of the total length. The head, exclu- 

 sive of the membrane, forms 27-100, and inclusive of it 29-100 of the length ; 

 the height immediately behind the eyes equals 13-100, and at the nape 18-100 

 of the same. The eye of the single small specimen in the collection has a diame- 

 ter longer than the snout, and equal to a fifth of the head's extreme length. 

 The pectoral fin equals a sixth of the total length. 



D. III. 24. 



The color is reddish brown on the body and head, thickly covered with yel- 

 lowish spots about as large as the pupil of the eye. The fins are blackish 

 and immaculate, except the caudal, which is dotted on its basal half. 



A single specimen, less than two inches and three quarters long, was col- 

 lected. 



Family CEILODIPTEROIDJE Bleeker. 



Genus Amia Gronovius. 



Amia retrosella Gill. 



The greatest height exceeds a quarter (-28) of the total length ; of that 

 length the head forms more than three-tenths ('31.) The diameter of the orbit 

 enters three times and a half (-09) in the head's length, and the snout four 

 times and a half (-07. ) The hinder margin of the preoperoulum is finely den- 

 ticulated ; the crest entire. The spinous dorsal, at the third spine, has 

 a height equal to an eighth (-12) of the total length, and the soft a sixtn (-17) 

 of the same. The caudal fin enters four times and a half (-23 ;) the pecto- 

 ral fin equals a fifth (-19) and the ventral a sixth (-16) of the length. 



D. VI. I. 9. A. II. 8. C. 4. I. 8. 7. I. 3. P. 2. 10. V. I. 5. 

 2 



Scales 25. 

 8 



The color is reddish yellow, minutely dotted with black, with a black spot 

 on the operculum, another on the end of the caudal peduncle, and a vertical 

 band below the soft dorsal fin. The unpaired fins are more or less thickly punc- 

 tulated with black. 



This species is related to Amia dovii (Apogon dovii Gthr.,) but the 

 saddle-like band under the second dorsal fin at once distinguishes it it ; is also 

 closely allied to A. maculata (Monoprion maculatus Poey.) 



Family SPAROWJ2 Cuv. Gill. 



Subfamily LUTJANIN^E Gill. 



Lutjanus novempasciatos Gill. 

 The greatest height exceeds a quarter of the extreme length. The head 

 forms rather more than three-tenths of the same, (-31 ;) the snout enters three 

 times and a half (-09) in the head's length, and the diameter of the eye about 

 four times and a half (*07.) The teeth are in a longitudinal band on the 

 tongue. The anterior nostril has a membraneous flap or lid behind. The pre- 

 operculum has a shallow emargination ; the interoperculum a blunt trihedral 



1862.] 



