454 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Scales ratliei' large, tlie rows horizontal below lateral line, the rows 

 above rnnning backward and upward ; G rows of scales on cheek, 1 on 

 interoperele, 1 on subopercle, and 7 on opercle. Base of soft dorsal and 

 anal scaly. Pores of lateral line branched. Temporal region with a 

 broad band of scales, with a few scattering ones below it. Top of head, 

 snont, and jaws naked. 



Dorsal spines rather strong, the outline of the fin moderately con- 

 vex; the fonrth and fifth spines longest, 2|^ in head; the tenth si)ine 

 about 1 in head. Margin of soft dorsal nearly straight, the fin pointed 

 behind ; the middle rays little longer than first ray, IJ length of last, 3 

 in head. Caudal lunate, the upper lobe scarcely longer than lower, its 

 length If times length of middle rays, which are ly in head. Margin 

 of anal strongly angulate, the middle rays reaching nearly to base of 

 caudal, 2i length of last ray, li i» head ; the first ray reaches about to 

 middle of last ray when the fin is depressed. Anal spines strong, the 

 second scarcely as long as third, 4 in head. Ventrals 1| iu head. Pec- 

 torals reaching almost to middle of anal fin, 1} in head. 



(j()\or in life deej) rose-red, paler on throat, bluish streaks along rows 

 of scales, above becoming fainter and disappearing with age. Fins 

 brick-red ; dorsal bordered with orange, with a narrow blackish edge; 

 caudal narrowly edged with blackish. Eye red. A large blackish blotch 

 above lateral line and below front rays of soft dorsal in young six-iu- 

 mens, this spot disappearing with age. Axil of pectoral dusky. 



The young specimens which formed the types of Mefioprion vivamm, 

 very scantily described by Cuv. & Val., have been thus redescribed (Jor- 

 dan, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1883, 280) : 



Head, 2f in length ; depth, 3^. D. X, 14 ; A. Ill, 8. Lateral line with 

 50 i)ores. 



Maxillary 2^ in head. Teeth rather strong ; vomerine teeth in an ar- 

 row-shaped patch, being prolonged considerably backwaid on the me- 

 dian line. Posterior nostrils oval. Eye 4 in head. Nuchal scales in a 

 band, scarcely separated from the scales of the body ; scales above lat- 

 eral line arranged in oblique series. Second anal spine long, 2i in head. 

 Caudal concave, the inner lobe If in the outer. 



Color reddish, faintly streaked with olive ; traces of a blackish blotch 

 under soft dorsal ; tips of middle rays of caudal dusky. 



These are rather slenderer than any young Florida specimens which 

 we have seen, but they agree fairly in this regard with some young 

 "Silk Snappers" brought by Mr. Gilbert from Aspinwall. 



The species is very abundant in rather deep water in rocky places 

 around the Florida coast. At Pensacola it is taken in great num- 

 bers. It is one of the most important food-fishesof our Southern coasts. 

 About Key West it is also taken in large numbers, but only in the 

 deeper waters, and it is tiaken thence alive in the wells of thti fishing- 

 smacks to the markets of Havana. On the American coast it is known 

 everywhere as Red Snapi)er, or to the Spaniards as Fargo Colorado. In 

 Havana it bears the name of Pargo Giiachinango, "Mexican Snapper," 



