PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 427 



the uiiddle lays, those of the upper lobe slightly less than those of the 

 lower lobe. 



Pectoral inserted in the vertical from the middle of the space between 

 the third and fourth dorsal spines, its length being equal to the height 

 of the body at the insertion of the anal ; its longest ray reaches from 

 the perpendicular to the fourth ray of the soft anal. 



Ventral inserted in the perpendicular from the origin of the fifth dor- 

 sal spine; length almost equal to that of the sixth dorsal spine. 



Color. — Silvery gray, slightly olivaceous above. Professor Jordan 

 states that in fresli specimens there are iaint ti-aces of dark cross-bands, 

 and that the posterior margin is probably blackish. 



Eadial formula.— B. XI, 12; A. Ill, 10; C. 17; P. 15; V. I, 5. 



Scales : L. lat. 45 to 47 ; L. trans, rf . 



14. Trisotropis stomias n. s., Goode & Bean. 



The species provisionally referred to by us, in the Proceedings of the 

 National Museum, Vol. II, p. 143, as T. hrunneus Poey, and which by 

 previous writers was catalogued under the name T. acutirostris, having 

 proved distinct from both of these species, we now propose to describe 

 as new under the name T. stomias. The Museum has received five 

 specimens, a tabulated list of which is here given. 



This species is the black grouper of Pensacola, a fish of some com- 

 mercial importance. Specimens were aTso obtained at Pensacola in 

 1882 by Jordan, who states that it is almost as abundant as the red 

 grouper, Epinephelus morio, and reaches a weight of 40 pounds. 



Description. — A Trisotropis with body moderately compressed. Its 

 greatest height slightly more than one-fourth its length without caudal, 

 and equal to or slightly less that 3 times as great as the least height of the 

 tail; length of the head three-eighths length of the body and 3^ times 

 length of the snout; the lower jaw projects beyond the upper a distance 

 equaling one-half the diameter of the eye. The maxillary extends to the 

 vertical from the center of the eye, and the mandible almost to the vertical 

 from its posterior margin. The distance of the eye from the upper profile 

 of the head is about equal to half of the vertical diameter of the orbit. 

 The horizontal diameter of the eye is contained 1| times in the length 

 of the snout, almost 3 times in the postorbital portion of the head, and 

 exactly twice in the length of the 0])erculum to the tip of its flap. 

 Lower jaw without canines. The teeth in two rows, those in the inner 

 row being double the length of those in the outer row and much less 



