PUOCEEDIXGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 1 1 3 



Vol. VII, I\o. 8. \%^i§hin^ton, D. C. July 7, 1884. 



Color in life clear, light greeuisli; the dots on the scales above lateral 

 line all clear blue-black, these giving the fish a decidedly bluish cast ; a 

 bluish-silvery lateral band ; head mostly light blue above, the brain 

 cavity appearing yellowish; sides of head iridescent silvery; lower jaw 

 bluish above, its flap white with a blackish edge, its tip scarlet ; side 

 of lower jaw blue at base; dorsal and pectoral bluish; caudal light red- 

 dish edged with blackish ; ventrals and anal pale, the latter tipped with 

 blackish. 



This species is verj' close to Uanirhamphvs roberti Cuv. & Val. {H. 

 iinifasciatus of most late writers), from which it seems to differ chiefly 

 in the shorter beak and the more robust and less compressed, body. The 

 number of dorsal rays is usually one or two less. 



Lower jaw from end of upi)er longer than rest of head and 6 to 7 in 

 total length from its tip to base of caudal (about 4J in H. roberti) ; 

 head with lower jaw 3 in length ; bodj^ but half deeper than broad ; 

 premaxillaries broader than long ; eye less than interorbital width, 

 three-fifths postorbital part of head ; insertion of ventrals midway be- 

 tween eye and base of caudal; dorsal and anal densely scaly; back 

 broad above. 



Head, 4^ in length ; depth, 6^. D. 12 to 14 ; A. 15; Lat. 1. 52. Length, 

 lU inches. 



I know from comparison of specimens that this species is identical 

 with the Cuban one called by Dr. Giinther E. poeyi. H. richardi C. & V., 

 distinguished from H. roberti and other species by the shorter snout 

 seems to be the same, as is probably H. picarti also. The figure given 

 by Kanzani represents the short-beaked form, which is apparently the 

 <'ommon Hemirhamphus of the West Indies, while the H. roberti C. 

 & v., is best known from the southern coasts of the United States. 

 There is not much doubt, therefore, that it is for the former that the name 

 H. nnifasciatus of Eanzani was originally intended. 



Both H. nnifasciatus and H. roberti occur on the Pacific coast of Mex- 

 ico and Pamama, but the latter is not yet known either from Key West 

 or Havana. 



Young specimens of H. unifasciatus hm'e the lower jaw^ proportion- 

 ately longer and are not easily separated from H. roberti. Comparing 

 specimens of the same size it will be found that the latter is always iu 

 all parts more slender, although the difterence is not very great. 



Four examples from Key West are numbered .'54999. 

 34. Herairhamphus balao Le Snenr. lialao. 



{Hemirhamphus balao and niarrjhiatiiK l^e Siuiir; IJimirhamphun j'hii Cnv. & 

 Val.; HanirhamphuH filamtntoKUH P(m y ; JJeinirhamphun hrasUienitis Jur. 

 & Gill)., Syn. Fish, N. A., 902 ; probably uot Esox bra^ilieima I.. ,ot Hemi- 

 rhamphuH browni, C. «fe V.) 



Very abundant about Key West, in large schools in water of moderate 



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