Report of a A fission /<> (iiia»i. 89 



blotches and spots. Three or four indistinct short silver\- bands 

 on sides of belly covered by the pectorals. A bluish black spot 

 just back of orbit. Opercular lobe dark violet preceded by a silvery 

 spot. About 7 yellowish white spots on the bach, along the base 

 of the dorsal. Head with several reddish violet bands, the outer 

 one extending from gape to the middle of opercle; the one just 

 above it extends from raaxillar\- through lower part of orbit, where 

 it branches, one branch curving down along the posterior margin 

 of the opercle but not forming a complete ring. There are about 

 three yellowish cro.ss bands on top of the head. Dorsal fin with a 

 small black spot between its 1-2 spines and a larger black ocelus 

 between the 2-3 soft rays, and blue-tipped with a yellowish white 

 dark-edged band through the middle. Caudal yellowish. Ventrals 

 and pectorals yellowish white. Three specimens. Length 3 inches. 

 Guam, July 14, 1900. Hab. Red Sea, East Indies, Marianas. 



140. Halichoeres opercularis Gunth. 



Voioig: Head 3; depth 3.50; eye 4; interorbital 5; D. ix 11; 

 A. Ill 10. Scales 2-29-9. Body oblong, compressed. Color in 

 spirits: Scales of upper half of bod\- have dark brown margins with 

 lighter centres. A series of five or six whitish spots along base of 

 dorsal. A silver}- dark -edged band from gape to opercles. A violet 

 spot behind orbit; another larger one edged with dark brown on 

 the extremity of operculum. Lower half of body whitish, with two 

 silvery lines on the sides of abdomen descending obliquely fonvard. 

 A black spot on dorsal between 1-2 spines; a larger vellow-edged 

 spot between 1-3 dorsal soft rays. Anal white with grayish spots 

 at base. Caudal yellow, tipped with dusky. Two specimens. 

 Length 2 inches. Guam, July 14, 1900. Hab. Fiji Islands, Am- 

 boyna, ^^larianas. 



141. Halichoeres leparensis (Bleek.). 



Youn^: Head 3.30; depth 4.20; eye 4; interorbital 4. Scales 26. 

 Lateral line continuous, no scales on head. Bodj- oblong, com- 

 pressed. Color in spirits: Faded into almost uniform light olive 

 ^ray. Dorsal fin with large black spot between 1-2 spines and 1-2 

 soft rays; also indication of 8-9 minute dark dots along base of 

 dorsal and a small black spot at base of caudal; otherwise fins 

 white. An indication of narrow vertical bands — a brownish white 

 line from behind margin of orbit continued in lighter shade of color 

 to caudal. One specimen, badl}' faded. Length 1.50 inches. 

 Guam, July 14, 1900. Hab. East Indian Archipelago, Marianas. 



142. Halichoeres nigropunctatus sp. nov. 



Head Z-Zl'- depth 3.33; eye 5; interorbital 4, equal to snout; 

 D. IX 11; A. iir 11; P 12; V. I 5. Scales 2-30-9. Lateral line 

 continuous. No .scales on head; scales on the thorax smaller than 



