188 PERCIDJ?. 



tending into the notch, which is scarcely conspicuous. The inferior 

 limb is entire. Suprascapula scarcely denticulated. The glossohyal 

 is oblong, of nearly equal width posteriorly and anteriorly, and 

 covered ■with exceedingly fine villiform teeth ; the lU'ohyal terminates 

 posteriorly in two points, the lower of which is elongate ; there is a 

 semicircular notch between. The basal portion of the skull is slightly 

 swollen, and there is a deep and broad longitudinal groove behind 

 the condyle of the basioecipital. 



There are ten abdominal and fourteen caudal vertebrae, the length 

 of the former portion of the column being to that of the caudal as 

 1 : 1-55. The first interhaemal spine is not strong, and equal to the 

 length of the first six vertebrae together ; it is attached to the haemal 

 spines of the eleventh and twelfth vertebrae. 



/3. Caudal fin truncated, or slightly notched. 

 aa. Ground-colour olive, with a yeUow, green, or brown shade. 



3. Mesoprion spams. 



Diacope sparus, Temm. ^- Schleg. Faun. Japon. Poiss. p. 14. 



10 • 8 



Physiognomy sparoid. The upper maxiUary bone reaching to 

 below the middle of the eye. Pra^opercvdum Avith exceedingly fine 

 denticulations, and a slight notch behind ; suprascapula denticulated. 

 CaudaHs notched ; the second anal spine shorter, but stronger, than 

 the third. Uniform brownish. {Sdileg.) 



Sea of Japan. 



4. Mesoprion dentatus. 



Apsilua dentatus, Guichen. in Ramon de la Sagra, Hist. Cuba, Poiss. 

 p. 29. pi. 1. f. 2. 



D. [5. A.f. L. lat. 60. L. transv. 10/18. 



The upper maxillary reaches scai<cely beyond the anterior margin 

 of the eye. Praeoperciilum with a very slight notch, ^Aith the posterior 

 limb exceedingly finely serrated, and with conspicuous denticulations 

 beneath. Dorsalis nearly even, caudalis forked ; the second anal 

 spine shorter, but not stronger, than the third. Coloration uniform. 



Jamaica. 



a, h. Adult : skins. Jamaica. From Dr. PameU's Collection. 

 c. Half-grown : skin. Jamaica. From Dr. PameU's Collection. 



Description. — This species is very remarkable for its being an in- 

 termediate form between species of Centropristis, Anthias, andil/eso- 

 prion. I place it in the latter genits on account of the praeopercular 

 notch, which, slight as it is, nevertheless is present, and followed by 

 more conspicuous denticidations of the angle. OtherAvise this species 

 has much similarity to Centro2rristis atrarins, AntJiias macroplithalmus, 

 and Mesoprion auroruhms in general habit, and in the small number 



