PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 463 



growing faiuter in-ogressively below ; the yellow on the edges of the 

 scales, the reddish on their middles; iris fiery red. Lower i^arts of 

 head llcsh-color with some yellow spots; maxillary mostly yellow; 

 caudal deep yellow, its edges reddish. Dorsal chielly yellow; anal 

 faintly yellow; ventrals and pectorals translucent. In spirits all the 

 markings fade, leaving the hns yellowish, the upper parts grayish, the 

 lower rosy-silvery. 



This species is very abundant at Key West, where it is known as 

 Yellow Tail. In Cuba it is perhaps next to L. analis and L. synagris, 

 the commonest of the genus. It is there known as Rahirnhia. 



The synonymy of tbis species offers little difficult}. The earlier 

 names, chrysurus, rahirnhia, semiluna, seem to admit of no doubt. Anro- 

 litfatits is admitted as a distinct species by Poey, who has seen it but 

 once, and distinguishes it by the absence of yellow spots on the back. 

 Without fuither evidence, we cannot regard the claims of aurovittatus 

 to distinction as worthy of consideration. 



The use of the luime mclanurns for this species by Professor Goode is 

 certainly an error. There can be no reasonable doubt of the pertinence 

 oi Perca melanura, L. to Hmmilon melanurmn {dorsale, Puey). 



The specimens from Saint Kitt's, described by Professor Cope, under 

 the name of Ocyurus rijyersma'i, are without much doubt simply brightly 

 colored adults of this species. 



We have lately examined these specimens in the JNIuseum of the Acad- 

 emy of Natural Sciences at Philadelphia. 'None of them have more 

 than ten dorsal spines although twelve are counted by Professor Cope. 

 In color they agree exactly with 0. chrysnrus, except that the yellow 

 markings of that species are in the types of 0. rijgersm(ei replaced by 

 brown; a change, doubtless, due to the action of the alcohol. In form, 

 dentition, gill-rakers, scales, and tin-rays, they agree exactly'. In one 

 specimen the head is 3j in length, the depth 3^; scales (7) 11— 50— x. 

 Maxillary, 3^ in head, barely reaching front of eye. U. X, 13; A. Ill, 

 1). Eye, 5 in head. Second anal spine, 5; caudal, 3 in body; i>ec- 

 toral, 3^. 



IV.— Genus EHOMBOPLITES. 



Ehomboplites, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 18(;2, 237 {auroruhens). 



This genus is closely allied to Lnljanus, but the cranial peculiarities 

 and extension of the villiform teeth over the ptei-ygoid and hyoid bones 

 seem to warrant generic separation. The form of the vomerine patch 

 of teeth is also somewhat i^eculiar. But one species is known. 



ANALYSIS OF f^I'ECIKS OK I.'IIOMBOPLITES. 



a. Eye large, ;U to 4 in lu-ad ; .sciiics Hiiiall, T'2 in ;i loiinilndiiial serit's ; gill-rakers 

 luunerous; dorsal spinos twelve; caudal raflicr deeply forked; color veruiilioii 

 red, with goldcu streaks AriMKUBENS, 2'.5. 



