292 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



4. Haemulou parrae. Black Grunt : Bonco Prieto. 



Diabasis parra, Desmakest, Preni. Decade Ichthyol., 30, tab. 2, f. 2, 1823 (Hu- 

 vana) ; Jordan &, Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1881, 322. 



Hcemidon canna ? ? Gunthrr, i., 311, 1859 (Jamaica; Puerto Cabello) ; Poey, 

 Repertorio, i., 1867, 309 (uot of C. «fc V.). 



HcBniulon caudimacula, Cuvier, Eegne Animal, ed. 2, 1829 (on Uribnco Marc 

 grave, and Diabase de Parra, Desmaiest); Cuv. & Val., v., 236, 1830 

 (Bahia ; Cuba); Gunther, i, 1859, 313 (copied); Poey, Repertorio, i, 1867, 

 310 ; Sauvage, MSS. ; Jordan &. Gilbert, Bull U. S. Fish Comm., 1881, 

 322 (redescription of original type). 



Hamulon votahtm, Poey, Memorias, ii, 179, 1860 (Cuba) ; Poey, Synopsis, 317 ; 

 Poey, Ennmeratio, 46. 



Hcemulon retrocurrena, Poey, Repertorio Pise. Cubens., ii, 236, 461, 1868 (Cuba). 



Hwrmtlon continuum, Poey, Enumeratio Piscium Cubensium, 1875, 46 (Cuba); 

 Poey, Anales Soc. Hist. Nat., Madrid, 1881, 210 (Puerto Rico). 



Habitat. — West Indies. 



Head, 2f (3f ) ; depth, 2f (3i). D. XII,, 15. A. III., 8. Scales, 5-44- 

 10 (40 pores). Length (33,258) 9 inches. 



Body oblong, compressed, the back considerably elevated; head 

 rather long ; the snout pointed, rather longer and sharper than in H. 

 acutum, the anterior profile straight, or a very little concave before the 

 eyes. Snout 2| in head (in young of 9 inches). Mouth rather small, 

 smaller than in H. acutmn, the maxillary barely reaching front of eye, 

 its length 3 in head. Teeth of moderate size, the outer and posterior 

 somewhat enlarged. Eye moderate, 4§ in head ; interorbital space flat- 

 tish, its width 4^ in head; preorbital moderate, its least width 4| iu 

 head ; preopercle moderately serrate. Gill-rakers few and small, about 

 12 on lower part of arch. 



Scales larger than in H. acutum or any other of the species ; those 

 above and below lateral line about equal in size; those above arranged 

 iu series which are less oblique and more undulating than iu. related se- 

 ries, the series from the scapular scale following the direction of the 

 lateral line for about 10 scales, then turning abruptly reaching the base 

 of the last dorsal spine, or sometimes the anterior part of soft dorsal; 

 soft fins scaly, as usual. 



Dorsal spines of moderate strength, the fourth 2| in head ; longest 

 ray of soft dorsal, 4 in head ; caudal, 1§ in head ; anal high, the sec- 

 ond si)ine and the longest rays extending, when depressed, well bejond 

 tip of last ray ; longest soft ray 2f in head ; second spine longer and 

 stronger than third, 2| in head ; pectorals long, 1^ in head ; ventrals, If. 



Color, iu spirits, pearly gray ; center of each scale brownish-black, 

 these coalescing and foiming very sharply-defined continuous undulat- 

 ing stripes ; about 16 of these between front of dorsal aud front of anal. 

 The sixth stripe extends from the scapular scale to last dorsal spine. 

 Base of caudal blackish ; fins dusky. 



This species is known to us only from several specimens in the U. S. 

 National Museum, from different points iu the West Indies, to which 

 our attention has been called by Dr. Bean. It is closely allied to JJ. 



