216 BULLETIN 10 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



tongue; nostrils about equal; interorbital 5% to 6, slightly convex; 

 preopercle edge feebly serrate, serrae obsolete with age; opercular 

 spines 3, upper most advanced and lower nearer median. Gill rakers 

 8 + 15, lanceolate, robust, equal gill filaments or 2% in eye; 6 above 

 and 5 below rudimentary. 



Scales 90 to 93 in lateral line to caudal base and 10 to 15 more on 

 latter; tubes 54 to 56 in lateral line to caudal base and 5 or 6 more 

 on latter; 17 or 18 scales above lateral line, 28 to 30 below, 53 to 66 

 predorsal forward to snout end, 25 to 27 rows obliquely across cheek 

 to preopercle edge; scales on head and body anteriorly with fine 

 auxiliary basal scales, little distinct on hind half of body; upper half 

 of maxillary expansion finely scaly, with 16 to 18 transverse rows. 

 Scales with 7 or 8 basal radiating striae; 36 to 44 apical denticles; 

 circuli moderate. 



D. IX, 14, i, or 15, i, fourth spine 2% to 4 in total head length, 

 twelfth ray 2% to 2%; A. Ill, 9, i, second spine 2% to 3^, fifth ray 

 2 to 2^3 ; caudal \% to 1%, convexly rounded behind; least depth of 

 caudal peduncle 2% to 334; pectoral 134 to l^; ventral 1% to 2}/ . 



In alcohol dark brown above, little paler below or on breast and 

 belly. Iris brown. Dorsals dark brown, mottled with deep gray on 

 soft fin. Anal similar. Caudal largely or over median area dark 

 brown mottled with dark gray, oblique whitish line over upper and 

 lower rays and along upper and lower edges, leaving intermediate 

 brown region paler, none of white lines touching one another on hind 

 caudal edge. Paired fins pale brown or yellowish, usually with 

 narrow dark edges to ventrals. 



Zanzibar, Mauritius, Seychelles, India, East Indies, Philippines, Riu 

 Kiu, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia. Boulenger gives the length 

 240 mm. though none of our specimens so large. Also all have the 

 white oblique bands on the caudal, a character by which the species 

 may be easily distinguished. 



16363. Balicuatro Islands, Biri Channel, east coast Luzon. June 1, 1909. 



Length 123 mm. 

 17429, 17430. Bulan Island, Samales Group. September 13, 1909. Length 125 



to 157 mm. 

 9349, 9350, 20097. Cagayan, Jolo. January 8, 1909. Length 127 to 194 mm. 

 4678 (D. 5110). Corregidor Light, Luzon. January 15, 1908. Length 195 mm. 

 19030. Dasol Bay, West Coast Luzon. May 8, 1909. Length 118 mm. 

 4636. Grande Island Reef, Subig Bay. January 8, 1908. Length 130 mm. 

 6045, 6047, 21042. Little Santa Cruz Island. May 28, 1908. Length 130 to 



218 mm. (94). 

 4686, 13990. Nasugbu, China Sea off southern Luzon. January 16, 1908. 



Length 156 to 218 mm. 

 7085, 7086, 18171. Port San Pio Quinto, Camiguin Island, China Sea, vicinity 



Batanes. November 11, 1908. Length 174 to 225 mm. 

 9311, 19071. Silino Island, vicinity northern Mindanao. August 10, 1909. 



Length 203 to 235 mm. 



