1616 Bulletin //, United States National Miisenm. 



the sides, forming abont fi distinct bands. Cozumel Island, Yucatan; 2 

 specimens. ( r.ean). Very close to N. rosipes and N. aplendens; possibly the 

 adult of the former, (ventralis, pertaining to the belly, from the long 

 ventrals.) 



Xyrichthys ventralis, Bean, Bull. TJ. S. Fish Coram. 1888, 198, pi. 29, fig. 1, Cozumel (Coll. Dr. 

 Bean. Type, No. 37077) ; Jordan, Review Labroid Fishes, 659, 1890. 



2020. XOVACULllHTHYS INFIRMUS (Bean). 



Head 3* ; depth 3.1. D. IX, 12 ; A. Ill, 12 ; Y. I, 5 ; P. 11 ; scales 2-27-11. 

 Form of body similar to that of N. ventralis, the descent of the profile 

 more abrupt, the species in this respect bearing more resemblance to X. 

 psittacus ; upper profile of head not forming a very sharp edge ; snout 

 comparatively short and blunt; the preorbital very much higher than in 

 N. ventralis; the shortest distance from the angle of mouth to eye nearly 

 twice length of eye ; maxillary not reaching vertical from front of orbit, 

 its length 4 in head ; canines as in JSf. ventralis; eye distant from upper 

 profile nearly | of its diameter, which is 6 in head and more than 2 in 

 snout; interorbital width equal to length of eye; a few scales below the 

 orbit; distance from .snout to eye 2,V in head. All dorsal spines flexible, 

 and of about equal length; third spine 3 in head; last soft ray very 

 slightly produced, and about 2^ in head; anal spines very week, the third 

 spine about 31 in head; last anal ray little less than 3 in head; caudal 

 nearly truncate, in some specimens the middle rays very slightly longer 

 than external rays, the middle rays, from the end of the scales, 7 in 

 length of body to base of caudal; ventral spine slender and weak, first 

 ray reaching al)out to vent; ventral about H in head and .5 in body; pec- 

 toral nearly as long as ventral ; lateral line piercing 20 scales before the 

 interruption, the twentieth scale being under tenth ray of dorsal; scales 

 of breast and abdomen much smaller than any of the others; posterior 

 angle of most of tbe scales acutely produced. Color in spirits, light olive 

 gray, the dorsal and anal fins being darker except along their basal por- 

 tions; axil of pectoral very dark, the dark blotch sometimes bordered 

 behind by several bluish streaks on the scales ; 3 narrow stripes extending 

 from the eye over the preorbital and cheek ; interopercle with 6 or 7 short, 

 nearly vertical, lines of bluish; iris solferino; the dark color of the dorsal 

 more pronounced on the spinous portion. Cozumel, Yucatan. (Bean) ; four 

 specimens known. Evidently close to NoracuUchthys martinicensis, but 

 probably distinguished by the dusky axil and the scales on the cheeks. 

 {infirmus, limp, flexible.) 



Xyrichthys infirmus, Bean, Bull. TJ. S. Fish Comm. 1888, 199, pi. 29, fig. 2, Cozumel (Coll. T. 

 H. Bean. Type, No. 37076) ; Jordan, Review Labroid Fislies, 660, 1890. 



2027. NOVACULICHTHYS MARTINICENSIS (Cuvier & Yalencieiines). 



Head 3*; depth 3J. D. IX, 12; A. Ill, 12; scales 2-29-9. Dorsal spines 

 similar, all soft and flexible. Ventral fins moderate, not reaching anal, 

 not produced in a long filament; no small scales below eye; body more 

 elongate than in Xjiriehlhi/s psittacus, the anterior profile of the head less 

 steep and less trenchant. Color in spirits, reddish, the fins dark (in the 



