24 PROCEEDINGS Oi? THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 66 



Another specimen was dull grayish brown all over in life, the 

 body obscurely longitudinally striped, but generally uniform in 

 color and not heavily blotched with dark, a large vague black patch 

 on back under last rays of dorsal similar to that on L. albotaeniatus 

 but more diffuse; head without longitudinal streaks running back 

 from eye; the cheek, and most of opercle dark; chin yellowish 

 brown, darker in places; fins dark brown, but not black, a very 

 prominent black spot between second and third dorsal spines; 

 pectorals lighter in color than other fins, the axil dark rusty red. 



Another specimen is in general similar to the above, but the dark 

 blotch under the last rays of dorsal is less evident; black spot 

 between the second and third dorsal spines conspicuous; axil of 

 pectoral rusty. 



In spirits the appearance is not greatly altered. The deep red 

 fades more or less, however, becoming a light yellowish brown, with 

 pinkish stains, and the fish becomes generally lighter in color. This 

 species differs from Diastodon modestus, which it otherwise some- 

 what resembles, in the number of scales, 34 in this fish as against 

 53 in the other. In D. modestus a large whitish spot is figured 

 below last rays of dorsal. 



Three specimens were taken in the Honolulu market. The type 

 141/2 inches long is Cat. No. 87421, U.S.N.M. ; cotypes, 151/2 and IT 

 inches long, are in the collection of Stanford University. 



Genus CORIS Lacepede 



If this genus is to be further subdivided, the prolongation of the 

 first dorsal spine will perhaps serve better than the size of the 

 scales. The type of Coris {aygida) has the anterior dorsal spines 

 elevated; no posterior canines; scales 61. In the type of Julis 

 (julis), the first spines are elevated, a posterior canine is present, 

 and the scales are 75. In the type of Hemicoris {variegata) the 

 first dorsal spine is lower than the others, a posterior canine is 

 present, and the scales are 52. For the present we may refer all 

 the Hawaiian forms to Coris. None of the Hawaiian species has 

 posterior canines. In gaimardi (scales 84) the front of the dorsal 

 is elevated; also in Jepomis (scales 92), halliem (scales 52), and 

 rosea (scales 53). The first spine is lowest in eydouxi (scales 81), 

 in -fiavovittata (scales 88), and in greenovii (scales 78). 



CORIS GAIMARDI (Quoy and Gaimard). 



(Coris pulcherrima Giinthei*.) 



Our specimens of this highly colored reef fish are apparently 

 referable to Coris pidcherrima. The species is extremely variable 

 and the bands on the head appear to be green, crimson, or violet 

 under different lights. They also vary much in width. Differ- 

 ent observers (Giinther, Jenkins, Jordan and Evermann) have tried 



