PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. Ill 



and baudecl witli white. After rejecting this name, the name funehris 

 of Ranzani appears to have the right of priority. 



28 Sidera moringa Cuvier. Moray; Helmet. 

 (Oymnothorax rosfrafus Agassiz.) 



Very common about the reefs. It reaches a length of two or three 

 feet. It is seldom brought to the market, and is eaten only by the Cu- 

 bans, although it has not the rejiutatiou of being poisonous possessed 

 by 8. funehris. 



Ground color, greenish- white above; quite yellowish-green on dorsal 

 fin and back ; head and belly pearly tinged ; anal and posterior part of 

 dorsal with the edge slightly paler. Entire body and fins everywhere 

 almost equally marked with dark olive confluent, roundish, but irregu- 

 lar, spots, mostly smaller than pupil, but some of them larger than eye. 

 These are sometimes so numerous as almost to exclude the ground 

 color ; at other times so sparse as to render the fish comparatively pale. 

 Mouth spotted within ; no black at angle of mouth or around gill open- 

 ing. 



Specimens from Cuba are darker, the spots being more numerous, 

 but they do not dift'er otherwise. The name Moray apx^ears to be uni- 

 versal for this species among the English-speaking fishermen. A speci- 

 men paler than usual was brought to me as a different species, under 

 the name of " Helmet J^ 



The darker variety is probably the original of Catesby's ^^Murcena 

 maculata nigra, the Black Moray," on which figure the Murcena moringa 

 of Cuvier was founded. If this view should prove erroneous it will be 

 necessary to again use the name rostrata for this species. 



A specimen from Key West is numbered 35036. 



ANGU LLIDiE. 



29. Auguilla rostrata (Le Sueur). 



A single extremely young eel was taken in a seine in Enteromorpha 

 in the harbor. The species seems to be entirely unknown to the Key 

 West fishermen; nor did I find any who had ever heard the word "eel." 

 The species of this genus apparently seldom venture far from the 

 brackish or fresh waters. 



SCOMBERESOCIDiE. 



30. Tylosuinis uotatus (Poey). Gar-Jish. 



Very common, in large schools close to shore. As many as four hun- 

 dred were taken in a single haul of the seine. This species reaches but 

 a small size, the largest seen being less than IS inches long. 



Color in life, very pale greenish, the lateral line bluish, the edges of 

 the scales with many dark points; a blue-black line bounding the base 

 of lower jaw above. Tips of all the vertical fins of a pale brick-red ; 

 middle of caudal dusky. A deep blue-black spot on upper front of 

 opercle. 



