226 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Scales rather broadly ovoid, firmly adherent, with very fine, num- 

 erous circuli; 5 to 10 rows of apical or subapical tubercles, with 6 to 

 8 series transversely. 



D. IX, 25, 1 or 26, i, ninth spine 1% to 1^ in head, first branched ray 

 1^ to 1%; A. Ill, 23, 1 or 24, i, third spine 2 to 2%, first branched 

 ray 1% to 1^; caudal deeply emarginate or lunate, lobes extended in 

 long points, 2}i to 2% in combined head and body; least depth of 

 caudal peduncle 2% to 2^ in head; pectoral 1 to 13^; ventral 13<^ 

 to 1%; caudal spine bl-i to 5^. 



Largely uniform dull brownish, becoming more or less dusky on 

 back with age. Often pale or ochraceous tints in front of and 

 around eye posteriori}'-, with traces of dark waved lines more or less hor- 

 izontal. Iris brownish. Fins all more or less brownish, vertical ones 

 dusky with age. In many examples of small size soft dorsal and 

 anal each with 4 or 5 longitudinal, parallel dark bands. Others 

 also show pale bluish or gray longitudinal band. Pectoral usually 

 brownish with broad, even pale, yellowish border posteriorly, always 

 conspicuous. 



Previously only known from Queensland. Our examples agree with 

 Giinther's account of Richardson's type. The "very numerous 

 undulated and irregular bluish longitudinal lines" have apparently 

 largely faded, though there are still trabes of them in some of the 

 specimens. Likewise the "whitish band across the basal portion of 

 the caudal fin." We do not find the black spot in the basal region 

 of the last dorsal and anal rays. It is in the pale hind border to the 

 pectoral that the most striking and constant character is found, and 

 this will distinguish the species most any time. Although greatly 

 different in the presence of 31 dorsal and 28 or 29 anal rays, besides 

 the dorsals and anals without dark longitudinal bands we feel that 

 this species is very close to Hepatus sohal (Forsk§,l), apparently only 

 known from the Red Sea. 



8689. Batag Island. June 3, 1909. Length 353 mm. 



7803, 7804, 7806 to 7808. Bugsuk Island. January 5, 1909. Length 270 to 

 370 nmi. 



(7803, 7804, 7806). Numerous narrow undulating slaty blue stripes, interspaces 

 golden brown. Yellow-brown blotch about eye, two sides not quite meeting. 

 Many very distinct undulating slaty lines on side of head. Opercle flap 

 black. Dorsal yellow carmine, orange anteriorly, smoky purple posteriorly; 

 narrowly edged dark blue; traces of 3 or 4 narrow blue lines on posterior por- 

 tion terminally. Slaty blue stripes nearly pupil breadth at dorsal base and 

 below brown stripe parallel. Anal like dorsal, with broad blue borders and 

 orange and yellow- shades less distinct; trace of blue basal stripe. Caudal 

 purplish, front edges of lobes yellowish. Caudal spine dirty-white, socket 

 blue about borders. Pectoral like dorsal internally, more purple on lower 

 portion externally. Ventral rays bluish or purplish., membranes yellowish. 



(7807, 7808). Ground color gray with purplish shades. Yellowish about eye 

 not meeting opposite side in front of eye. Dorsal and anal like body, extreme 



