44 



Chwloclon sqiiamulosiis, Shaw, Nat. Misc. , 275. 



Chatodon Catc^heii, Shaw, Gen. Zool. iv, 1, 1803, 325. 



Choitodon cornutus, Desmarest, D^c. Ichtbyol. 



Clmtodon acideafus, Gkonow, Cat. Fishes (1780), ed. Gray, 1854, 72. 



Common. The species is found, also, in the West Indies, at Bahia, 

 and on the coasts of Mexico. The Angel-fish is partial to sheltered 

 parts of the reef, where it may be seen lazily aud gracefully swimming 

 or floating a few feet below the surface. Its motions are very slow, and 

 it frequently swims upon its side, or, sinking to the bottom, swims per- 

 pendicularly to the surface, where its bright colors flash for a moment 

 as it floats broadside upward. I have frequently seen them grazing 

 upon the alga-covered rocks. The Angel-fish attains the weight of four 

 pounds, aud as far surpasses all the other fishes of the region in its 

 delicious flavor as in its lovely hues. The largest I have seen measured 

 fifteen inches from snout to extremitj^ of soft dorsal. 



Color. — Brown with a shade of olive-green, each scale edged with a 

 lighter tint; on the dorsal and anal fins, the brown has reddish tinge. 

 Chin, nape, base of pectoral, borders, and spines of operculum and pre- 

 operculum, bright cobalt-blue. Extremity of pectorals, bright yellow. 

 Borders of dorsal aud anal bright blue, passing through a vivid green to 

 bright yellow on the slender streamers formed by the prolongations of 

 the soft dorsal and anal fins. Caudal bright yellow, with narrow border 

 of greenish blue. Base of ventrals blue, i^assing through green into 

 yellow at the extremities. Young and half-grown individuals are orna- 

 mented with three or four broad transverse bands of blue and yellow. 



My specimens, some twelve in number, differ from all descriptions in 

 the absence of the spot of brown, encircled with blue, on the nape. I 

 have examined numerous West Indian specimens and find it universally 

 present. Should this character prove constant, the Bermuda Angel-fish 

 may be considered a geographical variety, Holacantlms ciUaris, var. 

 Bermudensis. 



nOLACANTHUS TRICOLOR, [Blocli) Lacepede. 

 Black Angel-fish. 



Acarauna, Edwards, pi. 583, f. 4. 



La Veuve Coquette, Duhamel, Trait. G6u. Pesch. 1782, pt. 2, pi. 13, f. 1. 

 Catalineta, Parra, Descr. Dif. Piez. Hist. Nat. Cuba, 1787, 12, lam. vii, f. 2. 

 ChcBtodon tricolor, Bloch, Ichth. xii, 1797, tab. 425. — Schneider, Blocb, Syst. Icbth. 

 1801,219. 



