PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 451 



2'^ in head. Teeth essentially as in L. synagris ; canines of npi)er jaw 

 small ; enlarged teeth of lower jaw scarcely canine-like. Tongne with 

 a single, large, oblong patch of teeth. Vomer with a f -shaped patch 

 of teeth, the prolongation on the median line moderate. No jtterygoid 

 teeth. Gill-rakers longer than in most species of Luljanus; abont 15 de- 

 veloped on lower part of anterior arch. 



Preoperclc nearly vertical, its emargination very slight, its seme dis- 

 tinct. 



Scales rather small, those below lateral line in horizontal series ; those 

 above hiteral line in regular and very oblique series, which are not par- 

 allel with the lateral line. Cheeks with 5 rows of scales. Temporal re- 

 gion scaled from the eye backwards, i)Os(erior]y with a band of rather 

 large scales followed by smaller ones. Bases of soft dorsal and anal 

 scaly. Dorsal fin little emarginate, the spines rather slender and low, 

 the longest 2^ in head. Longest ra.v of soft dorsal 24 in head. Caudal 

 rather deeply forked, the longest rays 1^ in head, the median rays 3§. 

 Anal spines slender, regularly graduated, the second spine 4| in head. 

 Soft anal rounded, rather low, the longest rays 2i} in head. Pectorals 

 long and falcate, 1^ in head. Ventrals If. 



In spirits this specimen is now nearly uniform brownish above, paler 

 below, with pale streaks along the rows of scales. In life, according to 

 Poey's figure, it had much the coloration of Luljanus synagris. 



Only Poey's original type of the species is yet known. From this the 

 above description is taken. 



As will be seen, the species is very well distinguished from Lufjamis 

 ttynagris and from Ocyurun clirysurns. It, however, presents such a sin- 

 gular blending of the characters of the two as to lend much probabil- 

 ity to Poe;^'s conjecture that it is a hybrid of Lutjamis synagris with 

 Ocyurus chrysurus. 



14. Lutjanus mahogani. Ojanco. 



ileso^moH maho(jam, Cuv. & Val., ii, 447, 1828 (Martinique); Giiuther, i, 203 



(copied). 

 Mesoprion ricardi, Cuv. & Val., ii, 447, 1828 (Martinii]ue). 

 Mesoprion ojanco, Poey, Meniorias, ii, 1.50, tab. 13, f. 10, 1800 (Cuba); Poey, 



Synopsis, 295, 1868. 

 Luljanus ojanco, Poey, Euumeratio, 1875, 28 (Cuba). 



Head, 2i (3|) ; depth, 2^ (3f ). D. X, 12 ; A, III, 8. Scales, (C) 9-62- 

 14; 50 pores. Length of a specimen from Cuba, 10 inches. 



Body rather elongate, strongly compressed, the back well elevated, 

 profile alnjost straight or slightly concave from tip of snout to nape, 

 thence moderately convex. Snout rather slender and pointed, 3 in head. 

 Eye large, 3'^ in head. Interorbital area tiattish ,with a median keel, 

 G in head. Preorbital rather broad, its least Avidth 6^ in head. Mouth 

 large, maxillary reaching front of pupil, 2^ in head. Lower jaw strongly 

 projecting; upper jaw with a narrow band of villiform teeth, outside of 

 which is a single series of enlarged but comparatively small teeth ; 4 



