4U4t PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Oil lower jaw and two on back of tail. Caudal paler than body, with 

 a few scattering dark points. Veutrals and anal edged with duskj-. 

 Pectorals paler than dorsal. In spirits this fish becomes pale, almost 

 cream-color. Spots on head dark, the others brown, with grayish mar- 

 gins. 



(c) Yellow variety {fulvus). — Color in life lemon yellow, being some- 

 what orange red on the back. Two black spots on back of tail ; a few 

 sky-blue spots on body anteriorly and on head, with darker margins ; 

 a few violet spots about eye. Fins colored like body. Head, pectorals, 

 and dorsal a little redder than rest of fish. Edge of spinous dorsal 

 blackish. Color in spirits olivaceous yellow. 



This species is very abundant throughout the West Indies, and ap- 

 parently reaches a smaller size than any other of our Epinepheli. It is 

 brought in great numbers to the markets of Havana, where it is known 

 as Guativere, the yellow variety being distinguished as Guativere Am- 

 arilla. No specimens have yet been obtained in Florida, but Key West 

 fishermen say that the "Nigger-fish " is not uncommon there. We have 

 seen none over a foot in length. 



The color variations in this species are greater and more constant 

 than in any of the other species, and have early attracted attention. 

 We find no difference whatever among the different forms except in the 

 coloration, and we believe that at present no naturalist regards them 

 as different si)ecies. 



In the Havana market the typical or red variety is most abundant ; 

 next comes the brown form, which much resembles the red, while the 

 yellow variety, which is peculiar in its markings as well as in its ground 

 color, is rather rare. These differences are probably due to the charac- 

 ter of the bottoms, and perhaps in some degree to differences in depth 

 of water. 



The name of this species has been somewhat unsettled for different 

 reasons. There is, however, apparently no room for question as to the 

 name to be adojited, the name Lahrus fulvus of Linnseus having clear 

 priority and belonging without any doubt to the yellow variety of this 

 fish. 



Some confusion has arisen from the fact that Linnseus has, in his 

 twelfth edition, by some inadvertence, left two species with the same 

 name, Perca punctata, his '■'■Perca punctatus^^ being No. 4,. on page 

 482, and ^^ Perca punctata ^^ No. 20, on page 485. In the tenth edition, 

 however, the former is not found, and it is from this, the earliest bi- 

 nomial name given to any American Epinephelus, that the name pimc- 

 tatus must be dated. The " Perca punctatus " No. 4 was probably origi- 

 nally intended to be placed in some other genus, as Lahrus or Sparus, 

 and then removed in the proof-reading to Perca. This seems the more 

 probable as the number 4 is duplicated, Perca zingel standing without 

 number, between P. punctatus and No. 3. This Perca punctatus is Scimna 

 clirysura, (Lac.) {=argyroleuca, Mitch.). 



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