264 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



slender, 2 canines in front of each jaw and posterior canine each side 

 above directed forward; interorbital 4 to 43^, convex. Gill rakers 

 3 + 12, short, robust points. 



Scales in lateral line 22, 5 or 6 + 1 ; 4 scales above lateral line, 9 or 

 10 below, 12 to 14 predorsal. Scales with 43 to 48 basal radiating 

 striae, apical 34 or 35; circuli fine. 



D. IX, 12, I, ninth spine 3% to 3^ in head, first ray 2y^ 

 to 3H; A. Ill, 12, I, third spine 5 to 53^, first ray ZYq to 2,}i; caudal 

 1% to 13^, convex behind; least depth of caudal peduncle IJ/g to 2; 

 pectoral \% to 1%, rays 11, 12; ventral IK to 1}^, rays I, 15. 



Body brown generally. Each row of scales on trunk with narrow 

 deeper brown median line, including in its course blue basal spot to 

 scale, but little wider than width of band; these bands all extend 

 as more or less narrow bands on head longitudinally. On head and 

 breast ground color deep neutral slaty. Postocular pale brown band 

 from hind eye edge back to suprascapula and cuneated brownish 

 white blotch above pectoral axil. Dorsals and anals slaty, with 

 narrow creamy margins; each fin with 3 or 4 longitudinal dusky 

 lines, variously broken, waved, as spots. Caudal slaty with parallel 

 narrow horizontal bluish lines, variously broken or as spots; margin 

 broadly creamy. Paired fins creamy basally, terminally grayish and 

 first branched ray grayish. 



Known only from the examples listed below. They differ from 

 Halichoeres marginatus in color-pattern, the pectoral base pale, also 

 2 large pale blotches on the opercle and caudal base spotted with 

 bluish, without pale area and blue lines on head continuous with 

 those on the predorsal and breast. 



Type.— C&t. No. 89971, U.S.N.M. 



6358. Inamucan Bay, Mindanao. August 8, 1909. Length, 158 mm. Type. 

 8832. Mahinog, Camiguin Island. August 3, 1909. Length, 152 mm. Paratype. 

 16233. Cape Kait, Libani Bay, Celebes. December 29, 1909. Length, 143 mm. 



(For Dr. Charles W. Richmond, United States National Museum.) 



HALICHOERES MELANOCHIR, new species 



Depth 2% to 2%; head 3 to SH; width 23^^ to 23^. Snout 3 to 

 33^6; eye 4^ to 5, 13^ to 1 3^ in snout, 1 to 1 3^ in interorbital; maxil- 

 lary reaches K to ^ to eye, 4 to 43^^ in head; interorbital 4 3^ to 4^, 

 convex. Gill rakers 6 + 8, lanceolate, short, about half long as gill 

 filaments. 



Scales in lateral line 22, 5 + 2; 5 scales above lateral line, 10 below, 

 10 predorsal. Scales with 19 to 25 basal radiating striae, apical 27 

 to 30; circuli fine. 



D. IX, 12, I, ninth spine 3 to Z}4 in head, first ray 2}i to 2%; A. 

 Ill, 12, I, third spine 'S% to 4}^, first ray 2 3^^ to 23^; caudal 1}4 to 

 13^^, truncate, little convex behind as expanded; least depth of caudal 

 peduncle 1% to iVel pectoral 13^ to 1%; ventral 1^ to 1%. 



