PR0CFEDING8 OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 279 



a (lark blotch on upper part of orbital rim ; suout tinged with purplish, 

 occiput with olive ; edge of opercle du.sky ; vertical fins largely orange, 

 their edges translucent; spinous dorsal somewhat dusky; ventrals pale, 

 with a i)inkish blotch at base; pectorals yellowish, especially at base, 

 the axil somewhat dusky ; no autrorse spine before dorsal. 



Our specimens agree with various descriptions of European examples 

 of this species, except in the coloration. In none of these descriptions 

 is there any allusion to the blue spots which form so striking a feature 

 of tlie coloration of the American fish. 



xVPOGOXID.E. 



81. Apogon maculatus (Poey) J. & G. P. (30HG3.) 



A single specimen, 3 inches long, in perfect condition, "spewed up*' 

 by a Eed Snai)per at Pensacola. 



Color intense scarlet, nearly uniform; a tinge of crimson about pec- 

 torals and on sides of head. A round, black, ink-like spot, a little larger 

 than pupil, under second dorsal ; another, smaller, on upper part of tail, 

 on each side, just before root of caudal ; tip of caudal whitish ; iris red. 



Head 2f ; depth 2^. D. YI-I, 9; A. II, 8. Scales about 2|-2G-7 

 (some of them lost, so that the number cannot be exactly ascertained). 



Maxillary 14 in head, reaching beyond pupil; eye very large, 3 in 

 head ; preopercle distinctly serrulate. Pectoral If in head, somewhat 

 shorter than caudak 



This species has not been hitherto noticed north of Cuba. 



82. Apogon alutus Sp. nov. P. (30874.) 



A single specimen, 2J inches long, "spewed up" by a Eed Snapper at 

 Pensacola. 



Color rusty-red with silvery lustre ; sides of head little reddish. Body 

 and fins everywhere much soiled and freckled with dark points. First 

 dorsal blackish, thickly punctate; second dorsal, anal and caudal yellow, 

 smutty with dark points, the posterior half of the caudal more dusky. 

 Ventrals smutty yellow; pectorals colorless. 



Head 2| in leiigth ; depth 2^. D. Vl-I, 9 ; A. II, 8. Lat. 1. 21. 



Head much compressed, short and high, its height at occiput six- 

 sevenths its length ; snout short and blunt, less than interorbital width, 

 about half diameter of orbit; mouth very oblique, the maxillary reach- 

 ing beyond pupil, but not to posterior margin of orbit ; length of maxil- 

 lary If in head ; teeth in narrow villiform bands in each jaw, those on 

 vomer and palatines minute; eye of moderate size, 2* in head; orbital 

 rim elevated above and behind; interorbital width 3^ in head, with a 

 low median longitudinal ridge; both ridges of preopercle entire; opercle 

 without spine; gill-rakers slender, the longest rather more than half 

 diameter of orbit ; 8 or 9 rakers on anterior branch of outer arch. 



First dorsal low, of six rather weak spines, its base two-fifths lengtli 

 of head, and equal to greatest height of fin ; second dorsal high, the 



