608 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Spinous dorsal not liigii, connected with the second by a low mem- 

 brane; the third spine the highest, about 2f in head, the upper mar- 

 gin of the fin descending obliquely in a straight line; soft dorsal little 

 lower than spinous. First three or four spines with series of scales be- 

 hind them ; a well-developed scaly sheath at base of soft dorsal and 

 anal ; both fins being thickly scaled to tip. Anal spine small, firmly 

 imbedded in the scaly membrane. Pectorals and ventrals also scaled, 

 the former 1| in head ; the ventrals reaching about half-way to vent, 

 If in head. Caudal with median rays produced. 



91. Gerres gula C. & V. 



The young found abundantly in small tide-pools in the harbor. 



92. Platyglossus radiatus, (Liun.) J. & G. — Butter-fish. 



S2)arus radintus lAim. Syst. Nat. not Chwrojulis radiatua GooAe ^= Julis oyan- 



ostigma C. &. V. 

 ? Lairus Uvittatus Blocb, taf. 284, fig 1. 

 Lahriis psittaculus Lac. iii, 522. 

 Julia humeralh Poey, Mem. Cub. ii, 212. 



Cboerojulis (/ratidivquamis Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 206. 

 Platyglossus JhreaUs Jor. &, Gilb. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1882,287 (youag). 



Common in the harbor. 



It is undoubtedly to this species that we must refer the S2)ariis radi- 

 atus of Linnaius, received from the coast of Carolina through Dr. Gar- 

 den. As Garden made most of his collections at Charleston, it is most 

 highly probable that this, rather than PL cyanostigma, was the species 

 sent by him, the latter never having been recorded north of Key West. 

 In addition, we have points in Linnseus's description (" Green above, 

 sides purple, head with blue lines, variegated with greenish-yellow. 

 Opercle tvith a imryJe and a yellow sjwV^) which answer very well to 

 our Carolina specimens, but could not well apply to P. cyanostigma. 



Color in life : Pinkish olive above, whitish below, a narrow, vertical, 

 vivid blue or green line across the middle of each scale, the line usually 

 convex forwards. Adults in life with traces only of two broad dark 

 longitudinal bands on sides, the upper running from opercular spot to 

 base of tail, the lower from below base of pectoral, very narrow and 

 obscure, vanisliing on middle of body ; the young show this marking 

 much more plainly; it is occasionally very conspicuous in adults, 

 though usually appearing as indistinct <larker shades on back and 

 sides. An olive green streak nearly as wide as eye running uj^wards 

 and backwards from orbit to sides of nape, thence along back and 

 parallel with it; another green streak above this from eye to nape, 

 where it meets its fellow. Head pinkish-bronze, overlaid with greenish- 

 yellow on cheeks and opercles below eye ; the latter area is bounded 

 above and behind by a narrow blue line i^assing from snout in a wavy 

 course below eye to near posterior margin of opercle, where it turns 

 abruptly downwards and forwards; opercular flap greenish, ocellated 



