Kcpoii of a Missicvi to Guam. 67 



gate, sub-cylindrical. Gape of mouth deep, the lower jaw the long- 

 est. Teeth sharp-pointed in jaws and palatines, none on vomer. 

 Fins : Interspaces between the two dorsal fins equal to one-half 

 length of head. Caudal forked. Ventrals equal to distance from 

 hind margin of opercle to eye. Color in spirits : Grayish green 

 above, yellowish white below. The gray descends in a festooned 

 edge along the lateral line, giving the appearance of about 12 dusky 

 splotches along the sides — this is more distinct in young. The 

 young also show indistinct dusky bands over the back. Three 

 specimens. Length 3-5.50 inches. Guam, July, igoo. Hab. 

 Seas of India to Malay Archipelago, Marianas. 



Family POLYNBMBD^.— Thread-fishes. 



Genus P0I,YDACTYLUS Lacepedk. 



66. Polydactylus sexfilis Cuv. & Val. Bocadulce. 



Head 3.5; depth 3.45; eye 4.50, more or less covered by adi- 

 pose membrane ; interorbital 3.66 ; premaxillary 2.20 ; mandible 

 2.20; D. VIII, I 2; A. Ill 12; P. 14 ; V. I 5. Scales 46; lateral line 

 continuous; 5 free articulated appendages below each pe(5toral fin; 

 two separate dorsal fins. Body oblong, compressed. Muciferous 

 system of head well developed. End of snout projecfting beyond 

 the mouth. Teeth setiform, several bands on premaxillary, vomer 

 and palatines. Vertical margin of the preopercle strongly denticu- 

 late. Fins : Caudal deeply forked, the longest ra^^ one-third longer 

 than head. Short middle ray 2.50 into head. Pedtoral 1.20 into 

 head. Longest ray of soft dorsal equal to head. Color in spirits: 

 vSihery white, slightly darker above, a dusky splotch at base of 

 caudal. Pectorals and anals dusky. Tips of dorsals dusky. One 

 specimen. Length 13.5 inches. Guam, June 28, 1900. Hab. 

 Seas of India, Polynesia, Marianas. 



Family HOLOCBNTRID^.— Squirrel-fishes. 



Gknus MYRIPRISTIS Cuvier. 

 67-68. Myripristis murdjan (Forsk). Sagamolang. 



Head 3 ; depth 2.50 ; eye 2.20 ; snout 2 into eye ; interorbital 

 equal to snout; D. x, i 14; A. iv 12; P. 15; V. i 7. Scales 3-34-6. 

 Body oblong, slightly elevated and compressed. Teeth villiform. 

 Mouth oblique, lower jaw projecting, with a rough nipple-like pro- 

 jection on each side of symphysis. Maxillary reaches to beneath 

 last third of orbit. Preopercle serrated its whole extent. Opercle 

 with moderately strong spine, all the posterior margin below the 

 spine and a little way above it finely serrated. Upper surface of 

 head roughened by about four raised lines which branch posteriorly 

 and end in small spines. Color in life : Roseate, gill openings and 



