Ko. 2294. FISHES FROM WEST AFRICA— FOWLER. 203 



olive-brown down to abdomen, also dark or slaty blotch on front 

 of caudal peduncle. Fins, pale brownish, ends of ventrals and 

 median caudal rays dusky. Head, iris, and sides with silvery reflec- 

 tions. 



An example from Messina, Italy, agrees best with the largest of 

 the above. It has the dark axillary blotch, though shorter pectoral. 

 Rakers, 8 + 10; length, 216 mm. The scales of all the examples 

 alike, finely ciliated, and with many as 9 basal striae. 



CHROMIS CHROMIS (Linnaeus). 



Head, 3|; depth, 2; D. XIV, 11; A. 11, 11; scales, 19 in upper 

 arch of lateral line and 11 pores in straight section before caudal 

 base; 4 scales above lateral line to spinous doi^sal origin, 10 below to 

 spinous anal origin; 27 predorsal scales; snout, 3f in head; eye 3^; 

 maxillar}^, 3; interorbital, 2f . Body greatly compressed, elongately 

 ellipsoid. Caudal peduncle compressed, length two-thirds least 

 depth, which two in head. Last with flattened sides, width If its 

 length. Snout, convex; length, about f its width. Eye large, 

 rounded, advanced, hind edge little behind middle in head length. 

 Mouth small, inclined but little from vertical, lower jaw slightly 

 protruding. Lips rather fiCshy. Maxillary almost to eye, expan- 

 sion 2f in same. Teeth conic, outer row slightly enlarged, in narrow 

 bands in jaws. Nostril simple pore near last fourth in snout. In- 

 terorbital convex. Preorbital narrow, 3 in eye, edge entire, also 

 preopercle edge. Rakers, 10+21, lanceolate, slender, equal fila- 

 ments, or 2| in eye. Scales large, finely cihated, with 7 or 8 basal 

 striae, of smaller size about bony edges and top of head. Preorbital 

 with two irregular rows of scales and four rows on cheek. Very 

 small scales on fins basally. Lateral line with upper arch only to 

 soft dorsal origin, tubes simple. Spinous dorsal inserted behind 

 pectoral origin or about opposite ventral origin; fourth spine longest 

 or slightly less than half of head. Soft dorsal greatly posterior, 

 behind soft anal origin and third or longest ray forming fin point, 

 1§ in head. Second anal spine much longer than first, IJ in head; 

 fin origin little nearer caudal base than pectoral origin. Soft anal 

 larger than soft dorsal, pointed behind with seventh ray longest or 

 If in head. Caudal elongate, deeply forked, long lobes sharp 

 pointed, longer than head by eye-diameter. Pectoral pointed, long 

 as head. Ventral reaches anal, first ray filamentous, spine half of 

 fin. Vent half an eye-diameter before anal. Color in alcohol dull 

 uniform brownish with slight olive tint; back and head above, dusky. 

 Spinous dorsal, front half of soft dorsal, first two-thirds of soft anal 

 and outer halves of each caudal lobe black. Remaining portions 

 of soft dorsal and anal, and caudal, whitish. Pectoral pale, also 

 ventral, though latter with front edge and base brownish. Iris 

 brown. Length, 140 mm. 



