544 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



"brown above, with some vague darker cross-shades ; pale below ; cau- 

 dal with two dark cross-bands ; pectoral dusky ; the free rays with 

 dusky spots ; veutrals pale, with some dusky bands ; coloration of dor- 

 sal and anal mostly lost; ai)parently much as in P. strigatus ; head 

 nearly plain; the cirri dark. 



This species is described from one specimen, 7^ inches long, in fair 

 condition, but with the membranes of the fins somewhat digested. It 

 was taken from the stomach of a red snapper {Lutjanus vii'anus), at Pen- 

 sacola, by Mr. Silas Stearns. The short gill-rakers, and deeply concave 

 interorbital area, distinguish this species at once from all others. 



The collection in which these two species of Prionotns were included, 

 contained among other interesting species the following : 



Seriola dumerili Risso. 



Anthias vivanus, sp. uov. (No. 3(i942.'^ 



Body oblong, elliptical, strongly compressed; the snout rather short, 

 and anteriorly pointed ; the profile from snout to dorsal quite steep, and 

 very slightly convex ; back gently arched; its curve corresponding very 

 nearly with that of the belly. Snout rather shorter than eye, which is 

 3^ in head ; mouth oblique, the lower jaw projecting (upper jaw muti- 

 lated); cleft of mouth extending to below front of pupil; its length, 2^ 

 in head ; interorbital area convex ; its width about three-fourths eye : 

 lower jaw with small, fixed, backward turned teeth, mostly in one row; 

 two small recurved canines on side of low^er jaw, near the front, and 

 one on each side near the symphysis ; preopercle sharply serrate ; the 

 tooth at the angle considerably enlarged, }>rojecting backward ; lower 

 limb entire, except near the angle ; opercle with two sharp spines, be- 

 sides an acute flat point ; the uppermost spine longest. Gill-rakers 

 very long and slender, almost setiform, numerous, and close set. 



Scales of moderate size, weakly ctenoid (those on head mostly lost). 

 Lateral line strongly arched, concurrent witli the back and running 

 very close to the dorsal fin, under the middle of the spinous dorsal, 

 falling abruptly under last rays of soft dorsal to middle of caudal pe- 

 duncle, thence straight to base of caudal fin. 



Dorsal spines low, rather strong, none of them filamentous, gradually 

 increasing in length to the fourth, which is 2^ in head, thence growing 

 slowly shorter to the ninth, which is 4 in head. Soft dorsal and anal 

 moderately elevated, their last rays somewhat more than half head and 

 nearly reaching base of caudal. Second anal spine about as long as 

 third, 2| in head (caudal and ventral fins mutilated). Pectoral fin w^ell 

 developed, a little shorter than head. Color in spirits, olivaceous above, 

 somewhat rosy below; back, with numerous faint narrow olivaceous 

 cross shades, formed of dark points. Head and fins plain. 



Head, 3f ; depth, 3^. D. X, 13 ; A. Ill, 8. Scales, 2^-43-12. 



A single specimen, about 2^ inches long, was taken from the stomach 

 of a red snapper {Lutjanus vivanus) at Pensacola by Silas Stearns. This 



