222 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vor.. 50. 



by preorbital, expansion about 3| in eye, nearly to hind nostriL 

 Nostrils together, close before eye. Interorbital convex. Preopercle 

 edge entire, with slight emargination at corner. Rakers, 4 + 16 short 

 points, about one-fourth of filaments; latter 2^ in eje. Scales largest 

 on middle of side, become very small on head and vertical fins^^ 

 finely ciliated, largest with about 12 basal striae. Courses of scales 

 slightly oblique upward behind, rows converging smaller toward 

 caudal peduncle and forward toward head. Pointed ventral axillary 

 scaly flap nearly two-fifths of fin. Lateral line largely concurrent 

 with profile of depressed dorsals; tubes largely simple. Spinous dorsal 

 begins little before pectoral origin, fifth spine longest or two- thirds 

 of head, fin edge deeply notched. Soft dorsal inserted little nearer 

 caudal base than head. Spinous anal inserted trifle before soft 

 dorsal origin, nearly midway between hind eye edge and caudal base, 

 second spine longest, or about 1^ in head. Soft anal like soft dorsal. 

 Caudal but very slightly less than head, truncate, convex behind 

 when expanded. Pectoral about long as caudal, and ventral but very 

 slightly shorter; spine 1| in head. Vent close before anal. 



Color in alcohol largely dull uniform brown, back slightly darker. 

 Each scale with small pale basal spot. Obscure broad dull brown 

 band from predorsal just before spinous dorsal, wide as pupil, down 

 over cheek but not below latter. No trace of other markings. 

 Edges of soft vertical fins narrowly dusky. Ventral tinged brownish 

 on outer portions. Soft dorsal, anal, and caudal all pale yellowish- 

 brown, with pale shade across front of caudal peduncle. Iris pale 

 brown. Length, 13S to 147 mm., two examples. 



POMACANTHUS PARU (Bloch). 



Head, 3^; depth, If; D. X, 29; A. Ill, 23; pores in lateral line, 

 50 (?) to caudal base; snout, 2^ in head from upper jaw tip; e_ye, 3|; 

 maxillary, 3 J; preopercle spine, 4J; interorbital, 2|; least depth of 

 caudal peduncle, 1| in entire head length; caudal, If pectoral, IJ; 

 ventral spine, 2^^; rakers, 4 + 12. General color blackish, with 

 numerous large scales of back and sides edged narrowly as whitish 

 crescent. These crescents gradually shorter and more dotlike as they 

 progress out on vertical fins. Sca,les of head, breast, predorsal, and 

 abdomen uniformly dark. Whitish band from front nostril to eye, 

 and extends along lower edge as very narrow whitish border. Lower 

 lip pale, chin and mandible whitish. Ventral blackish. Lengthy 

 240 mm. 



This species is apparently not known from Ascension Island previ- 

 ously, and unfortunately no material is at hand for comparison. Two 

 examples of the allied Pomacanihus arcuatus (Linnaeus) from Key 

 West, Florida, 203 and 210 mm. long, differ in the distinctions claimed 



