Squirrel-fish ; Candil 



line continuous; dorsal deeply emarginate, the spines usually ii, 

 depressible in a groove; soft dorsal short and high; anal with 4 

 spines, the first and second quite small, the third very long and 

 strong, the fourth smaller; caudal widely forked, both lobes with 

 rudimentary rays spine-like; ventrals large, 1, 7, the spine very 

 strong. 



Species numerous, remarkable for the great development of 

 sharp spines almost everywhere on the surface of the body. 

 About 8 or 9 species in our waters. 



Squirrel-fish ; Candil 



Holocentnis ascensionis (Osbeck) 



This fish frequents rocks and reefs throughout the West 

 Indies and is especially abundant in Cuba. It is common about 

 Porto Rico where it attracts at once by reason of its brilliant 

 colouration and the excessive sharpness and completeness of its 

 armature. It is a beautiful fish, reaching a length of i to 2 

 feet, not much valued as food, but often seen in the markets. 

 It occurs as far north as Florida and has been taken at St. Helena. 



Head 3yV; depth 3^; eye 2\\ snout 4; maxillary 2\\ man- 

 dible 2; interorbital 2 in eye; D. XI, 15; A. IV, 10; scales 

 4-48-7, 6 before dorsal; coeca 25; vertebrae 11 + 16. Body con- 

 siderably compressed, back moderately elevated. Colour, bright 

 rosy-red, paler below; shining longitudinal streaks along rows of 

 scales; fins light red; spinous dorsal largely golden-olive, the 

 edge scarlet; head very red above, a white bar downward and 

 backward from eye; colours all fading in alcohol. 



In the Bahamas is found subspecies rufiis, in which the pre- 

 opercular spine reaches about to root of pectoral. 



GEl^US FLAMMEO JORDAN &- EVERMANN 



This genus is distinguished from Holocentrus by the very 

 large mouth and projecting lower jaw which is more than half 

 the head in length. The single known species is the marian, 



266 



