PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 459 



l)ectoral is pointed, contained 4J times in tlio total lengtli. The three 

 first spiny rays of the dorsal ,iiradnal]y increase in length, the last, or 

 tenth one, not longer than the preceding ones. The soft rays of the 

 dorsal and anal are all branched and flattened. The color is a brownish 

 green, the abdomen paler, six brown bands fall vertically from back 

 over the sides; a brond and interrnpted stripe of a greenish color ex- 

 tends from the npper i)art of the opercle to the base of the candal, 

 resembling Oei/unis chri/surm and auroviftatus. 



" I have seen this fish but once, and I sent the specimen to the United 

 States, either to Professor Agassiz or to Mr. Brevoort. It bears my 

 No. 163." 



20. Lutjanus inermis. 



Mesoiirion inermii^, Peters, Berliner Moiiatsber., 1869, 705 (Mazatlan). 

 Lutjatins inermis, Jordan, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 28.5, 188.'i (Mazatlan). 



Rahitaf. — IVlazatlan. 



The following notes are taken from Professor Peters's original type: 

 Head, 3 in length ; depth, 3;^. Lateral line with 50 tabes. Scales 53. 

 Dorsal X, 13; A., Ill, 11. 



Body slender and fnsiform, not strongly compressed, the back not 

 elevated. Snout very pointed ; month unnsnally small, the maxillary 

 2^ in head, reaching to front of pu])il. Eye very large, abont 4 in head. 

 Band of vomerine teeth slightly produced backward on the median line. 

 Teeth on tongue well develoi^ed ; canine teeth nnnsnuUy small and 

 slender, 2 in u|)per jaw and 3 or 4 on each side of lower. Nostrils well 

 separated, subeqnal, the posterior oblong, the anterior round. Pre- 

 orbital two-fifths depth of eye. Preopercle not serrate, scarcely notclied 

 behind. Temi)oral region with a band of large scales, on each side of 

 which are small scales. Scales above lateral line arranged in very 

 oblique series, which are not parallel with the lateral line- 

 Pectoral fins very short, reaching little past tips of ventrals, IJ in 

 head. Dorsal spines very slender. Second anal spine, longer than 

 third, very small, 7 in head. Soft dorsal and anal low, scaly. Caudal 

 fin rather deeply forked, the middle rays not half the length of the 

 outer, which are 1;^ in head. 



Color in spirits, dusky above, pale below, with distinct dark stripes, 

 those below parallel with the lateral line, those above very oblicpie; 

 these stripes extend along the edges of the rows of scales, th6 middle 

 of each scale being Avhitish, its base dusky. 



According to Peters, the color was violet brown ; middle of each scale 

 with a silvery shining spot ; belly silvery. Base of pectoral above and 

 below brown. 



Only one specimen is known; it is in the museum at Berlin, and is 

 said to have come from Mazatlan. It is quite unlike any other American 

 species. It is, perhaps, related to Lufjanns mitchelli, a species lately 

 described by Dr. (liinthcr, from Madras. 



