NO. 2294. FISHJES FROM WEST AFRICA— FOWLER. 217 



Domingo, West Indies, and of but little smaller size, the axilla differs 

 in being jet black with a few pure white spots, and rest of inner 

 pectoral surface uniform or at least without dark markings. The 

 basal striae on the scales of S. 'plumieri are also a little coarser, as 

 seen under a lens. 



3. Ascension Island. 



Situated in the middle of the South Atlantic, this volcanic island 

 was early visited by Osbeck/ he listing nine species, several after- 

 wards utilized by Linnaeus. Not until over a century later v/as 

 further material examined, when Gunther reported on the small lot 

 obtained by the CJmUenger,^ and then noting three more species the 

 following year.^ 



As a few species obtained by the Eclipse expedition are doubtfully 

 credited to St. Helena Island, it maj^ be useful to note the few faunal 

 works relative to that island. Gunther ^ gives two lists of the col- 

 lections obtained by Melliss, who also published an interesting general 

 work on the island, including a popular account of its fishes.^ This 

 is compiled largely from Giinther's papers. More recently Cunning- 

 ham^ and Clark, '' the latter in liis Scotia report, give interesting 

 detailed accounts. Unless otherwise stated, all the material listed 

 under the present caption refers to Ascension Island. 



BELONG TRACHURA Valenciennes. 



Head, 3J to 3^; depth, 1| to 1| in postocular part of head; D. ii, 

 12; A. II, 17; predorsal scales about 110 to 118; eye, If to If in post- 

 ocular region; interorbital If to If; least width of caudal peduncle, 

 2^; rakers ii, 2 -F 6 x or xi; two examples, 339 to 347 mm. 



These agree in every way with those from the Azores, except that 

 the lower caudal lobe appears slightly longer than the upper. 



ABUDEFDUF ASCENSIONIS, new species. 



Head, 3f; depth. If; D. XIII, 13; A. II, 13; P. i, 17; V. I, 5; 

 scales, about 26 in lateral series from shoulder to caudal base medially, 

 and 8 more larger ones on latter; tubes, 20 in lateral line; 5 scales 

 above lateral line to soft dorsal origin and 11 below to spinous anal 

 origin; head, width If its length; snout, 3|-; eye, 4; maxillary, 3f ; 

 interorbital. 3f ; fifth dorsal spine, 2; fourth dorsal ray, li; second anal 

 spine, 2; fourth anal ray, 1^; least depth of caudal peduncle, 1|; 

 caudal, 1 +f; pectoral, 1+f; ventral, l^V- 



1 Reise Ost.-Ind. China, 1765, pp. 385-398. 



2 Rep. Voy. Challenger, Zool., vol. 1, 1880, p. 5. 



■' Ann. Mag. Nat. London, ser. 5, vol. 8, 1881, pp. 430-140. 



* Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 225-228; 1869, pp. 238-239. 



6 St. Helena (London), 1875, Fishes, pp. 100-113, pis. 19-21. 



« Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1910, pp. 86-130, pis. 1-3. 



' Scottish Nat. Ant. Exp. Zool., vol. 4, Fishes, 1915, pp. 387-393. 



