PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 373 



of the large specimen from Pensacola is correct, very old specimens may 

 exhibit material difierences in coloration, due to the subdivision of the 

 bronze spots and the disappearance of the rivulations. Similar changes 

 certainly do take place in M. venenosa. It is more likely, however, 

 that the xanthosticta, like the eardinalis, camelopardalis, &c., is a varietal 

 form, inhabiting deeper water. 



10. Mycteroperca reticulata. 



Trisotropis reticulatus, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1865, 105 (Barbadoes). 



Habitat. — Barbadoes ; one specimen known. 



Head, 2^ (3i) ; depth, Sf m). D. XI, 17 ; A. Ill, 11. Scales, 18- 

 123-x. Length (6708, Barbadoes), 19 inches. 



Body moderately elongate, rather strongly compressed. Head large, 

 the anterior profile rather more strongly curved than in most species, 

 somewhat gibbous above the eyes; snout not very acute, 34 in head. 

 Mouth very large, oblique, the maxillary extending to beyond the eyes; 

 its length 2^ in head. Canines moderate, nearly vertical. Lower jaw 

 strongly projecting; eye 6f in head. Posterior nostril much larger than 

 anterior; the two close together and close to eye. Interorbital space 

 strongly convex ; its breadih 5f in head. Preopercle forming a regular 

 curve, without salient angle or conspicious emargination. Gill-rakers 

 very short and broad ; about 6 developed on lower half of arch, be- 

 sides about 3 rudiments. 



Scales rather small, chiefly cycloid. Dorsal spines rather slender, 

 the second, third, and fourth subequal, 3^ in head. Soft dorsal slightly 

 angulated, the tenth ray slightly longer than the others, 3 in head. 

 Caudal somewhat lunate, the outer rays I-^q in head. Anal high, slightly 

 angulated, the largest rays 2f in head. Anal spines short, graduated. 

 Pectorals reaching somewhat beyond tips of ventrals, 2 in head. 



Color, in spirits, olivaceous; the head covered with very distinct 

 honeycomb-like reticulations of darker olive, surrounding pale spots, 

 from the size of the nostril to that of the pupil; body showing traces 

 of such spots. Pins plain, the soft dorsal and anal edged with blackish. 



The above description is taken from the original type of the species 

 collected at Barbadoes by Dr. Gill. No second specimen is yet known. 

 The species appears to be distinct from M. bonaci and M. venenosa, 

 although certainly very closely related to the latter. Possibly some of 

 Poey's names, referred by us to the synonymy of bonaci, may prove to 

 to belong to the present species. 



11. Mycteroperca venenosa. Bock-fish; YeUow-finned Grotiper ; Bonaci carde»al : 

 Bonaci de I'iedra. 



a. Var. venenosa (gray variety). 



Perca marina venenosa, the Eock-fish, Catesby, Fishes Carolina, &c., tab. 5 



(Bahamas). 

 Perca venenosa, Linnjeus, Syst. Nat., x, 292, 1758 (after Catesby) ; ihid., xii, 



486; Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1788, 1318, (copied) ; Bloch & Schneider, Syst. 



Ichth., 1801,92 (copied). 



