98 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Several specimens of this species were obtaiued at Havana, where it 

 is not uncommon. 



We suppose this to be the original Sparus ahilrlgaardi of Bloch, al- 

 though none of the earlier descriptions are good or even accurate. The 

 Scar us coccineus of Bloch & Schneider seems to belong certainly here. 

 The description given by Guichenot of his Scarus erythrinoides fits our 

 specimens well ; better than his account of Scarus ahildgaardi. We do 

 not see that Poey's Scarus oxybracMus can be different. The sharpness 

 of the pectoral is probably merely accidental. The pectoral is a little 

 longer in i^roportion to the head in this species than in most others, but 

 this difference seems to be due to the fact that the head is rather shorter. 



The description of Scarus amplus we have not seen. 



12. Sparisoma cyanolene, sp. uov. 



Head, 3 (3f ) ; depth, 2^ (3f); length of specimen described (Key 

 West), 5i inches. 



Body oblong. 



Jaws pale; a single stout canine directed outward and usually 

 slightly backward on each side of upper jaw, in front of angle of 

 mouth ; a second canine often present in front of this ; a small canine 

 directed downward on each side in front of upper jaw above the cut- 

 ting edge and close to the median suture ; upper lip covering most of 

 u])per jaw. 



Eye moderate, 4i in head ; snout rather obtuse, 3 ; cheek with one 

 row of large scales ; pores of lateral line each with 4 to 6 branches, 

 which cover nearly the whole of the scale ; four scales on median line 

 before dorsal. 



Caudal slightly convex when spread open, the outer rays scarcely as 

 long as the median ones, 1^ in head. 



Lower i)haryngeal nearly twice as broad as long ; its upper surface 

 almost flat, less concave than in related species. 



Color in life on upper half of body olive-green, the color very much 

 mottled aiul specked, marbled with whitish and streaked with green ; 

 lower parts fleshy-red, equally and similarly mottled; top and front of 

 head most extensively mottled ; sides of head similarly mottled ; lower 

 jaw usually more or less brown, with two whitish bauds, the anterior 

 continuous, the posterior of four separate whitish blotches ; edge of 

 opercle bright greenish-blue; axil extensively deej) blue, with some 

 reddish spots ; a deep blue blotch on base of pectoral ; dorsal colored 

 like the back; caudal greenish at base, with a pale yellowish band and 

 some small whitish dots ; its edge blackish, the fin elsewhere translu- 

 cent; anal dull gray with orange, mottled with brown; ventrals pale 

 flesh color. 



The yellow and orange of fins and red of belly become grayish iu 

 spirits. The blue of the axil becomes dark green in spirits, but does 

 not disappear. 



