•274 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Dorsal fiu somewhat emarginate, the fourtli spine bigliest, about 2i 

 ill IkmcI; this spiue and some of the others, occasionally filamentous; 

 soft dorsal rather high, rather higher than fourth spiue, the longest 

 rays more than half head. Caudal with the upper ray filamentous, 2^ 

 in length of body ; middle rays also produced, 1^ in head. Second anal 

 si)ine stronger but shorter than third, 5 in head. Veutrals about as 

 long as pectorals. If in head, not reaching front of anal. 



Soft dorsal and anal scaleless. Scales moderate, ctenoid. Jaws, pre- 

 orbital and to[) of head naked. 



These specimens differ somewhat in form and color from others in the 

 National Museum from Charleston, S. C. We cannot, however, sei^arate 

 them si)ecifically. 



70. Serranus subligarius (Cope) J. & G. P. (30859.) 

 (Ceiitrojnislis sublif/aritis Cope, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. Pbila. 187(t. 



Two young specimens, the largest 3 inches long", were obtained from 

 the mouth of Red Snappers at Peusacola. Professor Co])e's type, the 

 only specimen of this species hitherto known, was also obtained at 

 Tensacola. 



Olivaceous, tinged with reddish above, paler below but not silvery; 

 each scale on the sides with a blackish margin, these forming rather 

 faint, continuous, dusky streaks. Posterior part of sides with faint 

 traces of about 5 irregular cross-shades of darker along the sides. A 

 large blotch of cream-color in front of the vent, extending upwards as 

 an irregular cross-bar to near the middle of the side, its posterior edge 

 sharply defined, its anterior fading into the color of the belly; a black 

 ring around tail behind dorsal and anal ; a large, black blotch on front 

 of soft dorsal, extending downward on the body, where it is less dis- 

 tinct than on the fin. Cheeks yellowish ; opercles darker; lower parts 

 of head brown, the preopercle (below), interopercle, lower jaw, and 

 branchiostegals covered by a network of wavy bluish streaks. Spi- 

 nous dorsal dark gray, mottled; soft dorsal similarly and more dis- 

 tinctly marked. Pectorals, anal, and caudal grayish, with sharply de- 

 fined narrow blackish bars, somewhat undulating. Yentrals faintly 

 barred, mostly black. 



Head 2i (3) ; depth 2| (3^), D. X. 13 ; A. Ill, 7. Scales about 6-42-17. 



Body rather deep, compressed, the back elevated, the anterior profile 

 nearly straight. Head long and low, slender, acuminate ; its depth at 

 middle of eye but half its length in the smaller specimen, in the larger 

 proportionately deei)er. Mouth rather small ; lower jaw scarcely pro- 

 jecting; maxillary reaching to posterior margin of i)ui)il, its length 1>;\ 

 in head; teeth small, the canines little developed; those on sides of 

 lower jaw largest, as usual in Serranus. Eye rather large, 4 in head. 

 Preorbital and interorbital space very narrow. Edge of i)reoperclc 

 subequally and rather shar])ly serrate; none of the teeth directed for- 

 wards. Gill-rakers short, rather few. Scales on cheek sinall. in aixtiit 

 10 series. 



