224 PAPERS FROM TORTUGAS LABORATORY vol. xxxiv 



jraemtm, discussed on page 232, and the last spine of the first dorsal is far re- 

 moved (though attached by membrane) from the others, as in some of the gobies 

 with united ventrals, for example Gobionellus boleosoma. 

 Known from Pensacola and Tortugas, Florida. S. F. H. 



Family GOBIIDAE. Gobies 



Bathygobius soporator (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 



Found in tide pools along the shores of Loggerhead Key, on the flats near 

 Long Key and Bird Key reef, and very common up to the length of 115 mm. on 

 the reef top itself. It is a surprisingly hardy fish, which will live for weeks with- 

 out food or attention in a pale of evaporating sea water and, if released, swim 

 away as if nothing had happened. 



Its coloration is very variable. Sometimes a gray phase is shown, finely mottled 

 over the back and with distinct brassy streaks along lower part of side. Some- 

 times two dark bars stand out distinctly in the pattern, a broad one under spinous 

 dorsal, and a narrower one under middle of soft dorsal. The shade varies with 

 that of the substratum, the adjustment being effected quickly. For example, fish 

 that had been in a black dish, when transferred to a white one became in a little 

 more than a minute as pale as others that had been in the white dish for some 

 time. 



Both coasts of tropical America, on the Atlantic northward to Florida. 



W. H. L. 

 Bathygobius curacao (Metzelaar) 



Common inside Bird Key reef, where it may be seined in breeding condition 

 in June and July. The largest female secured was 58 mm. long, the largest male 

 65 mm. 



There is little tendency to depart from the fin formulas D. VI-I,c/; A. 1,8. The 

 pectoral has once 16 and 7 times 17 rays in a series of 8, and the upper rays are 

 free and form a fringe, a detail overlooked by Metzelaar in his description; scales 

 from pectoral axil to base of caudal 31 to 33, with 10 in an oblique row between 

 anal origin and base of second dorsal. Teeth in villiform bands, the outer ones 

 being enlarged and distinctly spaced in the male. Conspicuous mucus pores on 

 head almost identical in arrangement with those in B. soporator, consisting of a 

 vertical row on opercle at its anterior margin; a few others in an oblique line 

 near its upper angle; a suborbital series rising to a point behind eye and with 

 some interruption continuing horizontally to above margin of operculum; an- 

 other series from nostril along preorbital margin to cheek, where there are three 

 series, the median one divided posteriorly; a double series along and under lower 

 margin of mandible, both continuing along lower border of preopercle. 



This fish is changeable in shade and, to some extent, in pattern. In its simplest 

 phases it is very finely mottled over the head and has a finely striped pattern of 

 alternate light and dark lines on the trunk, where the light elements follow the 

 longitudinal rows of scales and the pencilings of darker ground color lie be- 

 tween. On this foundation bars may be superimposed, consisting of a dark band 



