156 HEMULON FULVO-MACULATUM. 



HEMULON FULVO-MACULATUM. — MitcUll 



Plate XXII. Fig. 2. 



Specific Characters. Body above pale brown ; belly silvery ; sides marked 

 with numerous orange-coloured or yellow spots, those above the lateral line dis- 

 posed in irregular oblique lines, those below it in horizontal rows ; dorsal, anal, and 

 caudal fins with similar spots; sides of the head pale bluish, with a silvery tint, 

 and marked with yellow spots ; lower jaw orange at the angle of the mouth ; in- 

 ternal surface of the gill-membrane bright orange. D. 11-15. P. 18. V. 

 1-5. A. 3-12. C. 17. 



Synonymes. Labrus fulvo-maculatus, Milch., Lit. and Phil. Trans. N. Y., vol. i. p. 406. 



Hemulon fulvo-maculatum, DeKay, Zool. N. Y., part iv. p. 84, pi. 7, fig. 21. 

 Hemulon fulvo-maculatum, Storer, Synops., p. 76. 

 Sailor's Choice, Hog-fish, Vulgo. 



Description. The form of this fish is elongated, compressed, thin, and almost 

 carinated at the back, which is much arched ; thicker and nearly straight at the 

 belly. The head is large, with the facial outline long and straight, or but slightly 

 incurved above the eyes. The eye is of moderate size, longest in the horizontal 

 direction, and is placed near the facial outline, with its inferior margin rather be- 

 low the superior third of the head ; it is nearly equidistant from the snout and 

 the posterior margin of the opercle ; the pupil is black, and the iris golden. The 

 posterior nostril is round and small; the anterior is oblong, much the larger, 

 and nearer to the orbit than to the snout ; both are on a line within the orbit. 



The mouth is sub-compressed and small, the posterior extremity of the upper jaw 

 not reaching half way between the snout and nostrils. Both jaws are armed with 

 a group of minute, rasp-like teeth. The pharyngeal bones have similar teeth, but 

 slightly larger. The tongue is thin, flattened, sub-spatulate in form, and so short 



