1 94 1 CATALOGUE OF FISHES OF TORTUGAS 2 gg 



occasionally on the open reef. Despite their relative rarity, the carapaces of two 

 were taken from the stomach of Hypoprion brevirostris. 



This species is changeable in coloration. With minor variation in shade and 

 extent of dark areas, a specimen 87 mm. in length showed in an aquarium, the 

 bottom of which was covered with sand and planted in part with green 

 Thalassia, a vertical bar of orbital width passing through the eye to ventral keel, 

 and two much more indefinite ones. The anterior one passed from the ventral 

 keel through the pectoral base and curved back, widened, and reached the 

 highest point of the carapace. The posterior bar, wider than the others, lay in 

 advance of the posterolateral spines, from which it proceeded upward and back- 

 ward to include the dorsal fin. A larger specimen swimming slowly, with pec- 

 torals only, over a mixed bottom of coral fragments and sand with sparsely 

 distributed algae and turtle grass, whose green was largely hidden by gray in- 

 crustations and sediment, appeared in a blotchy phase, dark on light, with a few 

 blue spots showing through. W. H. L. 



The collection contains 11 specimens, 27 to 168 mm. long. The frontal spines, 

 or "horns," and lateral spines are already evident in the smallest specimen, and 

 in one 35 mm. long they are proportionately much larger than in adults, the 

 lateral ones at that size extending beyond base of caudal. 



Atlantic coast of tropical America, sometimes straying northward to Cape 

 Cod. Also reported from Africa. S. F. H. 



Family TETRAODONTIDAE. Puffers 



Lagocephalus laevigatus (Linnaeus) 



A single specimen, 60 mm. long, was found in the refuse of the tern colony on 

 Bird Key. 



D. 13; A. I3/4- Four-rooted spines (not 3-rooted as stated by Jordan and Ever- 

 mann, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 47, pt. 2, 1898, p. 1728) on the belly in an area 

 extending from chin to vent; upper jaw with a thick vertical ridge on either side 

 of the median line. 



A light bar at base of caudal; outer rays light, remainder black; dorsal and 

 anal fins darker toward tip. 



Though partly digested, teeth, spines, fin rays, and silver sides identify this 

 specimen, from which a 78-mm. example collected by Poey (Mus. Comp. Zool. 

 no. 12155) differs only in having lost the black of the caudal fin. 



Atlantic coast of tropical America, ranging northward to Massachusetts. 



W. H. L. 

 Sphoeroides spengleri (Bloch) 



On the grass flats, where bare sand occurs among the Thalassia, partly grown 

 specimens were taken, which also occur far up in the sandy bight between Long 

 and Bush keys. Larger ones, to the length of about 160 mm., were commonly 

 caught in the 10-fathom channels and in 13 to 14 fathoms east of Bush Key and 

 Bird Key reef. 



