PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 443 



Dorsal spiues rather strong, the outliue of the fin gently convex, the 

 fourth spine longest, 3i in head ; the tenth spine, G in head. Anal spines 

 strong, the second spine stronger, slightly shorter than third, which is 

 5 in head. Caudal little forked. Pectorals about If in head. 



Color dusky gray, paler below, the belly sometimes tinged with red- 

 dish. Membranes of dorsal, anal, and caudal grayish black, the anal 

 and soft dorsal especially blackish . Ventrals blackish at tip. Pectorals 

 plain olivaceous, the base and inner margin dusky. Head dusky above, 

 without markings. 



No young specimens seen. 



The adult Cnbera as seen in the markets has a peculiarly ragged 

 appearance, quite unlike the neat look of its nearest relative, L.griseus. 



This species is common in the markets of Havana, where it is known 

 as Gubcra. It grows to a very considerable size, and specimens of less 

 than five pounds weight are very rare in the markets. But one speci- 

 men was obtained by Professor Jordan, no others small enough to be 

 readily preserved in alcohol being seen. The species seems to have au 

 indifferent reputation as a food-fish, being often unwholesome. It has 

 always a ragged appearance in the market, its scales being less firmly 

 attached than those of other species. This species is very closely related 

 to L. griseus, but so far as we have seen the two may always be distin 

 guished by the difference in form of the vomerine patch of teeth, and bji 

 the development of the canines of the lower jaw. These are larger in 

 L. cahem than in any other American species. This species is certainly 

 not Mesoprion cynodon, Cuv. & Val., if we may rely on Bocourt's ac- 

 count of that species. It is, of course, certainly the Luijamis cuhera of 

 Poey. The Genyoroge cnnina of Steindachner seems to be, most prob- 

 ably, the young of the same species. We have, however, hesitated to 

 use' the earlier name {caninus) until the identity of the two is fully 

 proven. We suppose the name Lutjanus dentatns, Dumeril to belong to 

 this species, but are unable to find the original description, if any exists. 

 The scanty characterization given by Vaillaut and Bocourt agrees fully 

 with L. cuhera. 



7. Lutjanus novemfasciatus. Fargo rriefo. 



Lutjanus novemfasciatus, GiW, Proc. Ac. Nat. Set. Pliila., 1862, 251 (Cape San 



Lucas; very young); Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1881; 



Jordan & Gilbert, loc. cit., 1882, 360 and 625 (Cape San Lucas ; Panama) ; 



Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 107, 110, 112 (Mazatlau; Panama; 



Punta Arenas). 

 Mesoprion pamficus, Bocourt, Ann. Sci. Nat. Paris, p. 223, 18G8 (Tanesco; Pa- 

 cific coast of Guatemala). 

 Lutjanus paciflcu8,yiuWAni & Bocourt, Mission Scientifique au Mexiqne, 1881 (?), 



123, pi. iii, f. 2. 

 Lutjanus prieto, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1881, 232, 338, 353, 



355 (San Bias; Mazatlan) ; Jordan & Gilbert, loc. cit., 1882, 360, 361 (Cape 



San Lucas). 



This large fish is the Pacific representative of lAiijaniis cuhera, to 

 which it bears a strong resemblance. It is generally common on the 



