440 PROCEEblXGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Head, 23 (3i); depth, 2i (33). D.X, 14; A.III,8. Scales (6), 7-50-12; 

 47 pores. Length of an example from Key West, 10| inches. 



Bodj' comparatively elongate, the back not strongly compressed, little 

 elevated; profile almost straight from snout to nape, thence gentJy 

 convex. Snout rather pointed, 3 in head. Eye rather small, 4f in head. 

 Interorbital space gently convex, 5 in head. Occipital keel little promi- 

 nent. Preorbital rather broad, 5i to G^ in head. Mouth large ; jaws 

 subequal. Maxillary reaching front of pupil, 2f in head. Upper jaw 

 with a narrow band of villiform teeth, outside of which is a single series 

 of enlarged teeth ; 4 canines in front of upper jaw, 2 of them quite 

 large— one-third diameter of eye. Lower jaw with a very narrow band 

 of villiform teeth in front of jaw only ; outside of these a single row 

 of teeth larger than outer teeth of upper jaw, becoming canine-like in 

 adult, but much smaller than in L. cynodon. Tongue with an oval patch 

 of teeth, its width about one-half its length. Vomer with an arrow- 

 shaped patch of teeth, with backward prolongation on the median line ; 

 its length about twice its width in front. Gill-rakers rather short and 

 thick, their length about ^ diameter of eye; about 8 on lower arch, with 

 no rudimentary ones before them. Preopercle with its posterior mar- 

 gin nearly vertical, with a rather broad and deep emargination. Preo- 

 percle finely serrate above the teeth, coarser at the angle. Scales com- 

 paratively large ; the rows in horizontal series below the lateral line, 

 those above running parallel with the lateral line until below the soft 

 dorsal, where they become slightly irregular and oblique ; 7 rows of 

 scales on cheek; an imbedded row on interopercle ; 1 row on subopercle, 

 and 7 on opercle. Temporal region with about three rows of large 

 scales. Top of head, snout, and jaws naked. Base of soft dorsal and 

 anal scaly. Tubes of lateral line branched. 



Dorsal spines rather strong ; the outline of the fin gently convex ; 

 the fourth spine longest, 2i in head, the tenth spine 4 in head. Margin 

 of soft dorsal rounded ; the ninth and tenth rays longest, 1^ length of 

 first, and If last ray, 2^ in head. Caudal emarginate, the upper lobe 

 longest, 1^ length of middle rays, which are If in head. Anal fiu high ; 

 its margin slightly angulate ; the middle rays longest, 2 times length 

 of last ray, 2^ in head ; first ray reaching almost to tip of last ray, wher6 

 the fin is depressed ; second anal spine slightly longer and stronger 

 than third, 3J in head. Ventrals If in head. Pectorals shortish, 

 scarcely reaching vent. If in head. Color in life very dark green above, 

 the middle part of each scale brassy black, its edge broadly pearly 

 whitish. Below lateral line the duskiness of the middle of the sca'le 

 passes into brassy, and below into bright coppery, the belly and lower 

 parts of head being more or less distinctly bright coppery red ; the lower 

 jaw grayish. No blue stripe below eye, except in the very young. Top 

 of head blackish olive. Dorsal blackish, its margin darker and tinged 

 with maroon red ; soft dorsal dusky anteriorly slightly edged with 

 whitish; caudal violaceous or maroon black. Anal wine-color edged 



