PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 135 



I see no reason for thinking this a Lachnolwmus at all. It is much, 

 more likely to have been a Trachynotus. So far as it goes, it agrees 

 fully with Trachynotus rhodopus. 



129. Platyglossus radiatus (Liunteus). P adding -ivife. 



{Labrus radiatus L., Syst. Nat. ed. x, 1758, 288 (based on a figure by Catesby ; 



not Spai'us radiatus, L. ed. xii.) 

 Platyglossus cijanostigma, (Giintber, iv, IGl.) 



Rather common, reaching a much larger size than any other of the 

 American Flatyglossi, and therefore a food-fish of some imijortance. 

 The largest seen are about 20 inches in length. 



This is the species which should retain the Linntean name radiatus. 

 The Labrus radiatus of the tenth edition of the Sy sterna Naturae, based 

 on a figure of Catesby, is this fish. The Sjmrus radiatus of the twelfth 

 edition, described from a specimen sent by Dr. Garden from Charleston, 

 is Flatyglossus hivittatus. 



In life the female of the " Pudding-wife " is of a rich translucent bronze 

 olive, the belly becoming of a livid pearly blue, tinged with creamy 

 orange. A quadrate area before dorsal yellowish green, with abrupt 

 edges and bounded by blue lines ; three whitish saddle-like blotches be- 

 low dorsal fin ; a yellowish area on back of tail ; top of head orange 

 olive, with three rows of clear blue spots ; a bine stripe from nape 

 through upper part of eye to snout; a wavy stripe of blue just below 

 eye; temporal region with curved streaks of bright blue; lips mostly 

 blue; cheeks nearly plain; opercle light orange, with dasheS of blue 

 and violet, but without well defined spots ; middle of lower jaw light 

 blue; a longitudinal streak on lower part of cheeks; lower jaw light 

 orangt', with two blue cross-bands ; interopercle with a blue stripe ; axil 

 green ; a yellowish green shade from pectoral to caudal ; a deep blue 

 spot at upper base of i>ectoral ; two broad orange bars downward and 

 backward from j^ectoral, the interspaces blue ; each scale on body with 

 vertical spot of a vivid blue ; on caudal peduncle these spots are brighter, 

 becoming round below and horizontally oblong above ; some of them on 

 base of anal confluent in lines ; mouth and gill-cavity within white (livid 

 blue in male). 



Dorsal orange; a broad blue marginal stripe; a blue stripe at its 

 base, interrupted behind; besides these a mesial stripe, breaking up 

 posteriorly into about three rows of irregular curved spots. Caudal 

 orange, broadly tipped with yellow, its outer rays blue, its basal part 

 with many irregular spots of light blue. Anal with a basal row of blue 

 spots, then an orange band, then a narrower stripe of bright blue, then 

 a broad yellow band, then a row of blue spots, then orange, then an 

 edge of sky blue. Pectoral translucent, shaded with blue and some 

 pale orange. Ventral with the spine and first soft ray blue, the mem- 

 brane orange, the fin otherwise translucent. 



Male fish largely olive, the lower parts deep bluish green ; a bright 

 orange olive area behind opercle, then a blue cross band with indefinite 



