PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 397 



Upper limb of preopercle with slender teeth which regularly increase 

 in size (h^wnward, those ut the rounded angle strong; below the angle 

 is a strong flattish spine, directed forwards and downwards, its length 

 4 in eye. Nostrils small, round, close together. 



Scales not very small, mostly cycloid, those on opercles larger than 

 those on body, those on cheeks small. 



Gill-rakers short and stout, their length not more than half pupil, 

 about 12 below angle. 



Dorsal spines rather short, robust and pungent, the second higher 

 than the teuth, the fourth and fifth highest, 2J in head, the outline of 

 the tin gently curved ; soft rays about as high as third spine ; caudal 

 convex behind, its angles rounded, its length 1| in head. Anal rather 

 high, posteriorly rounded, its longest soft rays 2 in head. Second anal 

 spine longer and stronger than third, 2| in head. Pectorals broad, 

 rounded, extending beyond tips of ventral. If in head. 



Color in life, dark brownish olive, mottled with darker blotches. 

 Body with some dark orange spots. Vertical fins dark olive, mottled 

 with darker blotches. Yellow under head. Pectorals dull olive red, 

 with bluish spots. Ventrals dull olive, edged with darker. Some 

 pearly spots on breast and on anal. Moustache, dark-red brown. 



The orange spots become brown in spirits. 



This species is not uncommon on the coast of Cuba, numerous speci- 

 mens having been obtained by Professor Jordan at Havana. It reaches 

 a length of less than a foot, and is known to fishermen as Guaseta. 



For the identification of the afer of Bloch with monacanthns and 

 chloropteriis we are indebted to Peters. The genus Alphestes (Prospinus) 

 seems to be fairly well founded. We cannot regard it, however, as 

 having any special aflinity with most of those called by Cuvier ^^Plec- 

 tropoma." 



v.— Genus ENNEACEI^TRUS. 



BODIANUS, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliila., 1862, 237 (not of Bloch, whose type is 



properly Bodianus bodianus, Bloch^^Lainis rufus, L.)- 

 Enneacentrus, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila.,1865, 105 {ouataUbi=punctatus). 

 Petrometopon, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1865, 105 {guttatu8=cruentatus). 

 Menephorus, Poey, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., about 1867 (duMus). 



This genus was first indicated by Dr. Gill, under the name Bodianus^ 

 adopted from Bloch. The original Bodiamis, Bloch was a heteroge- 

 neous assemblage of Labroid and Percoid fishes. The name Bodiamis 

 came from the Portuguese vernacular name {Bodiano) one of its species 

 called by Bloch Bodianus bodianus {=^Harpe rufa^ Auct.). As the name 

 Bodiamis "was originally proposed more especially for the Bodiamis bo- 

 dianus, it must either be retained for that type or consigned to that obliv- 

 ion to which the utterly worthless nature of its original constitution so 

 richly entitles it."— (Gill.) Later, this group was divided by Dr. Gill into 

 two Enneacentrus and Petrometopon. This division seems to us imprac- 



