PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 289 



Vol. Til, ]¥o. 19. Washins^ton, D. €. Aii§r.38, 1884. 



Scales moderate, those above lateral Hue not enlarged, arranged in 

 verj" oblique seiies; those below lateral line also not enlarged, their 

 series more nearly horizontal. Soft fins scaled as usual. 



Dorsal spines rather slender, the fourth highest, 2 in head ; longest 

 soft rays 3 in head. Caudal lobes subequal, 1^ in head ; longest anal 

 rays high, 2^ in head ; second anal spine longer and a little stronger 

 than third, its tip when depressed about reaching middle of last anal 

 ray ; its length 2| in head ; free margin of anal somewhat concave, the 

 tips of the first rays when depressed reaching tips of last rays. Yentral 

 fins, 1^ in head ; pectorals, 1:^. 



Color pearly-grayish, with six or seven sharply defined dusky cross- 

 bands from back to lower part of sides, fading below. These are of 

 nearly equal width, and except the sixth and seventh of about equal 

 distinctness, and extend slightly backward below. They are rather 

 wider than eye, and about equal to the paler interspaces. The first is 

 at the nape, extending to base of pectoral ; the second under front of 

 spinous dorsal; the third near middle of spinous dorsal; the fourth 

 under last spines ; the fifth and sixth under soft dorsal ; the seventh^ 

 when evident, on caudal peduncle. Cheeks, opercles, and anterior 

 part of sides with distinct roundish spots of brownish-black ; these 

 largest and best defined on the opercle. Fins nearly plain dusky- 

 grayish. 



This species is the Pacific coast representative of Ilcemulon gihhosicm, 

 from which it differs most .strikingly in its coloration. It reaches a sim- 

 ilarly very large size, specimens of upwards of 2 feet in length having 

 been obtained at Mazatlan by Professor Gilbert. It is generally com- 

 mon along the Pacific coast of tropical America. 



We have examined the types both of Hccmulon sexfasciatum and 

 Hcemulon maculosum. There is no doubt of their identity. The very 

 young examples, tyi^es of the former species, show the cross-bauds of 

 the adult, but not the spots on the head. 



2. Heeniulon macrostoma. 



Hcemulon macrostoma, GCnther, Cat. Fishes Brit. Mus. i, 308, 1859 (Jamaica). 



Habitat. — West Indies. 



This species is known to us only from the description of Dr. Giin- 

 ther. It is evidently related to R. gibbosum, and may be the young of 

 that species. The coloration and some of the details of the form are, 

 however, diiferent. In coloration and some other respects it ap- 

 proaches H. fremebitndum, but we cannot reconcile Dr. Giinther's de- 

 scription with the specimens of the latter species in the National 

 Museum. 



Proc. Nat. Mus. 84 19 



