PE0CEED1^'GS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 299 



and second .spines, the margin of the lin somewhat dusky. Some speci- 

 mens with the outer part of both dorsals aud the top of head dusted 

 with bhick spots; others with these spots obsolete; soft dorsal and 

 caudal light orange, barred with light greeuish; anal dull orange, with 

 an obscure blackish median baud, the exserted tips of the rays abruptly 

 whitish. Pectorals dusky olive, strongly tinged with orange. Ventrals 

 blackish, orange at tip. 



The life colors of the female were not observed. 



This species is very abundant iu Pensacola Bay, where 14 specimens, 

 the largest about 4 inches in length, were obtained. Some of these 

 were taken with a seine in masses of Zosfera iu the Laguna Grande; 

 others were caught with a pin-hook from the wharves, where it abounds 

 among the ballast rocks {sahurra) on which the wharves are built. 



112. laesthes* ionthas sp. uov. P. (308.56.) 



Head 4 (4^) ; depth 3| (4i). D. XII, 13, or XII, 14 ; A. II, 13, or II, 14. 



Body rather deep, moderately compressed, the back little elevated. 

 Head short, blunt, but less so than in 1. imnctatus ; the profile promi- 

 nent above the eye, thence descending abruptly but not vertically to 

 the tip of the snout; oblique length of snout 4 iu head. 



Mouth small, low, its cleft largely anterior, the short nmxillary 

 scarcely reaching past the front of the eye, 4 in head. Eyes large, 

 placed high, 5 in head, the interorbital space about half their diameter. 

 Orbital cirrus low, scarcely larger than nasal cirrus, which is about 

 equal to diameter of pupil. Teeth moderate, equal ; no posterior canines. 

 Gill-opening extending downward to a point a little below middle of 

 base of pectoral, the height of the slit 3 in head. Lateral line not reach- 

 ing tip of pectoral. 



Dorsal fin continuous, the spines low and not very stiff, slenderer 

 than in I. imnctaim^ the longest spines a little lower than the soft rays, 

 which are about 1^ in head. Caudal free from anal, slightly connected 

 with dorsal ; a little shorter than head ; pectoral about as long as head ; 

 ventrals shorter than head. 



Color clear olive-green, with only traces of darker bars; body every- 

 where densely freckled with small round blackish spots, smaller than 

 the ]3upil ; on the sides aud lower part of head these spots are reduced 

 to close-set dots; two dark lines, separated by a pale area, downward 

 from eye ; a vertical curved blackish line behind eye, iu front of which 

 is a golden area. Vertical fins all plain olive-green, their edges dusky; 

 tips of anal rays pale; paired fins dusky-olive; lower parts of head 

 tinged with golden, sometimes with dusky croPS-bars; cirri green. 



Four specimens, the largest about 2^ inches long, were obtained with 

 hook and line from the wharves at Pensacola. 



The small size of the orbital cirrus and the freckled coloration readily 

 distinguish this species from its congeners. 



* hesilus J. & G. Syn. Fish. N. A. 757: type Blennius geiitUis Grd. 



