1490 Bulletin ^7, United States National Rhiseum. 



backward to the tips of the middle caudal rays ; body below this band sil- 

 very white, iibove it somewhat darker. West Indies, ranging northward 

 to Pensucola ; rather common southward ; an interesting fish of a beautiful 

 and singular coloration, resembling that of a chaitodont. The specimen 

 described by us was taken near Pensacola. {lanceolatus, lance-shaped.) 



Ribband Fish, Edwards, "Gleanings, pi. 210," Guadeloupe; Carolina. 



Chcetodon lanceolatus, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 277, 17,'58, Caraibes Islands; based on 



Edwards, pi. 210. 

 Serrana, Parra, Piezas de Hist. Nat. de Cuba, pi. 2, upper figure, 1787, Cuba. 

 Eques americamis. Block, Icbthyol., pi. 347, 1793, West Indies. 

 Eques balteatna, Cu\^ER, Regue Animal, Ed. 2, ii, pi. 29, fig. 2, 1829, Martinique; after 



EDWARDS; CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 165, 1830. 

 Scicena edivardi, GRONOW, Cat. Fisb., Ed. Gray, 53, 1854, Indian Seas ; after EDWARDS. 

 Eques lanceolatus, Gunther, Cat., ii, 279, I860; Poey, Enumeratio, 49, 1875; Jordan & 



Gilbert, Synopsis, 932, 1883; Jokd.4.n & Eigenm.a.nn, I. c, 442, 1889. 



Group CIREHITOIDEI. 

 (The Cirrhitoid Fishes.) 



This grouj) agrees with the Fercoidea in most respects, the chief exter- 

 nal ditference lying in the form of the pectorals, which have broad pro- 

 current Inxses as in the Scoiya'nida; the lower rays being uubranched and 

 more or less thickened. One family " is represented in our waters. 



P^imily CLVI. CIRKHITID.E. 



(The Ciuhiiitoid.s.) 



Body compressed, oblong, covered with moderate scales which are 

 cycloid or ctenoid; lateral line continuous, concurrent with the back, not 

 extending on caudal ; mouth low, terminal, with lateral cleft ; eye lateral, of 

 moderate size; preiiiaxillaries protractile; maxillary narrow, not sheathed 

 by i>reorbital; teeth small, pointed, occasionally with canines sometimes 

 present on vomer or palatines; cheeks without bony suborbital stay; 

 branchiostegals 3 to 6, usually 6; gill membranes separate, free from the 

 isthmus; preopercle serrate or entire; opercle unarmed; no spines or ser- 

 rations on bones of cranium; dorsal fin continuous, long, the spinous and 

 soft jiarts subequal, the spines not depressible in a groove; soft dorsal 

 low; spines nither low and strong; jiectoral liu short and broad as in the 

 Coltidw; lower half of fin with its rays simple and generally stout; the 

 membranes deeply incised; ventral fius thoracic, but considerably behind 

 root of pectorals, the rays I, 5 ; air bladder large and complicated or want- 

 ing; pyloric cieca few; vertebne lO-f-16^26; skull very compact and 

 solid. t Carnivorous fishes of the warm seas; genera 10; species 40; appar- 



* This family should apparently be placed among the Percoidea near the Serranidce. 



t Dr. Giinther gives in substance the following description of the skeleton of Parracir- 

 rhites forsteri (Bloch & Schneider) : 



"Skull compressed, all the bones well ossified, and very solid. Intermaxillary much 

 shorter than maxillary, and having posterior processes of moderate length. Maxillary 

 slightly bent, swordshaiied, broadest at extremity. Mandibulary having some small 

 pores along lower side. Head of vomer thick, swollen, and armed with teeth on anterior 

 margin only. Preoiierculum crescent-shaped, without angle, and with posterior part of 



