PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 441 



with whitish. Pectorals pale flesh color. Yeiitrals whitish, faintly 

 marked with reddish. 



Yoiiug (as in L. caxis) with a blackish band from snout through eye 

 to nape, very distinct in life; a blue streak below eye. Spinous dorsal • 

 with a dark maroon -colored band along edge. 



Fishes from deep water are much redder than those taken near the 

 shore. In no case is the caudal yellowish or of any pale shade. 



This species is very common along our South Atlantic and Gulf coasts 

 and occasionally strays northward as far as New Jersey, being the north- 

 ernmost in its range of any member of the genus in the Atlantic. It is 

 everywhere generally known as Gray Snapper. In Florida and the Ba- 

 hamas, where the coasts are lined by mangrove bushes among which 

 the young of this species abounds, the name Mangrove Snapper comes 

 into use. The name Lawyer is also occasionally heard, in allusion to the 

 skill shown by the species in eluding nets. To the Spanish fishermen 

 of Cuba and Key West the species is, as in the time of Parra, known 

 as CahaUerotc. It inhabits water of varying depths, large specimens 

 being often found very near the shore, while others may be taken in 

 waters of considerable depth, in company with Luijanus vivanns. These 

 latter individuals are much redder than those found in shoal water; 

 their general color is paler and the body is in general a trifle less elon- 

 gate. Such correspond to the form named Lutjanus stearnsi. 



The synonymy of this species is considerable. It is evidently the 

 Caballeroie of Parra, as Professor Poey has shown, and therefore the 

 Anthias cahallerote of Bloch & Schneider. Earlier than this comes Lah- 

 riis griseus, L., based on the Mangrove Snapper of Catesby, a rough and 

 inaccurate figure, but still resembling this species, and like the Cahal- 

 lerote identifiable by the persistent vernacular name. Sparus tetracan- 

 thvs appears to be the same, as also Bodianus vivafiet. 



Alesojprion griseus, Cuv. & Val. is identified by Poey with Lutjarms 

 caxis, but to us the description resembles much more the present spe- 

 cies, which has thus twice received the specific name of griseus. 



Lohotes emarginatus is based on a young specimen of Lutjanus griseus, 

 afterwards made the type of the wholly gratuitous " genus," Neomccnis. 



The identification by Poey of Lutjanus caxis with Mesoprion griseus 

 has led American writers to suppose this species to be the ivwo, Lutjanus 

 caxis, an error only recently corrected. The true Ij. caxis, the Caji of 

 the Havana markets, has not yet been seen north of Key West. 



.Lw(;«wi<s s/mrwsi, described from Pensacola, we are unable to separate 

 from ordinary deep-water specimens of Ij. griseus. So far as we can see, 

 the gradation is perfect. This identity has been already recognized by 

 Dr. Bean. 



Dr. Giinther identifies with his Mesoprion griseus one or two species 

 described by Cuvier and Valenciennes from the west coast of Africa. 

 It is impossible from the brief descriptions to settle this question, and 



