PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 259 



in bead ; iu females the origin is nuder twelfth ray of dorsal, and about 

 midway between tip of caudal and tip of snout. Caudal rounded, about 

 equaling length of head in females, one-fourth greater than head in 

 males. Ventrals inserted behind vertical from origin of dorsal, reaching 

 beyond vent in females ; in males the first and second rays are thick- 

 ened, the second filamentous, IJ- in head. Pectoral long, longer in 

 males, where it reaches beyond middle of ventrals, and is very slightly 

 less than length of head. 



Scales in very regular rows, 26 in a longitudinal series, 9 or 10 in an 

 oblique series forward from vent to middle of back; humeral scale not 

 enlarged. Intestinal canal about 2i times total length of fish (with 

 caudal). 



<?. Head 4 in length; depth 2f to 3. 9. Head 3^ to 3f in length; 

 depth 24 to 2|. 



D. 15 or 16 ; A. 8 ; scales, 26 — 9 or 10. 



Color : c? . Light olive-green, marbled with darker and spotted with 

 pale green ; each scale on back and sides with an oblong, blackish spot, 

 these forming continuous lengthwise stripes ; head dusky above, opercle 

 and cheek minutely speckled; an orange strii^e above opercle; lower 

 parts of head mostly orange; some orange tinge on breast. Dorsal 

 translucent, its basal half with about five series of linear blackish hor- 

 izontal spots, forming interrupted lines; above middle of fin, on mem- 

 brane between each pair of rays, is a large, roundish dark spot. Be- 

 tween these spots and above them are many small, round bronze spots. 

 Membrane between second and -third rays red at base; all of these 

 markings irregular on first and last rays; caudal niirrowlymargiued all 

 around with black, its base lavender; its lower parts mostly whitish; 

 the middle orange; the upper parts pale, with round orange spots; 

 other fins pale orange. Females have dorsal and caudal olivaceous, 

 with indistinct, narrow cross-bands, formed by series of small dark 

 spots on the rays. 



Very abundant at Peusacola, where numerous specimens were pro- 

 cured from the Laguna Grande. It is also very common about the 

 wharves, the gorgeous dorsal fin of the male being conspicuous in the 

 shallow water. 



28. Mollienesia lineolata (Grd.) J. & G. G. ; N. O. (30891.) 

 ? Mollienesia pocdlioides (Girard). 



Four female specimens and one male, from Galveston, Tex. (the largest 

 2' long), and two females from Lake Poutchartrain, are referred by us 

 to this species. They show the following difierences from M. latijnnna : 



Eye small, the iris jet black ; diameter of orbit 3^ to 3^ times in head, 

 and If to 2 times in interorbital width (the eye 2| in head, and If in 

 iuterorbital width, in laUpimm of same size) ; dorsal fin smaller, its base 

 3| in body iu females, 3 in males, the rays constantly 13 or 14 in num- 

 ber (usually 13) ; origin of dorsal equidistant from tip of snout and ru 



