84. CENTRAECniD^ MESOGONISTIUS. 471 



blue border, and a pearly spot in front; a dark bar about width of 

 ])upil extending obliquely downwards below eye ; sides of head, whole 

 body and vertical tius, in the mules, with round bright blue spots ar- 

 ranged in irregular rows, these spots most distinct on the cheeks and 

 opercles and on the lower part of the sides; females duller, with larger 

 and fainter sijots more regular in position. A dark bar below eye. 

 Head 25; depth 2^. D. IX, 10; A. Ill, 9 (occasionally D. X, or A. IV, 

 in abnormal specimens) ; scales 3-30-9. Xew Jersey to l!irorth Carolina; 

 abundant near the coast. 



(nemiopHtes simulans Cope, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1868, 218; based on speci- 

 men witli 4 anal spines: Eniicacanthus margarotis Gill & Jordan, Bnll. U. S. Nat. Mus. 

 X, 28, 1878: Enmacanihus (jiitfatus Cope, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila. 18G9, 219: 

 Enncacanthus p'mnlgcr Jordan, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. x, 27, 1878, a soutliern form, dis- 

 tinguished by tlie larger size, brigliter color, and larger tius, all doubtless the result 

 of more favorable surroundings.) 



249.— MESOGONISTIUS Gill. 

 Banded Sun-fislies. 



(Gill, Ame'r. Journ. Sci. Arts, 1854, 92: typo Pomotis chwtodon Baird.) 



Body short and deep, compressed. Mouth small. Teeth present on 

 vomer and palatines, none on the tongue; supplemental maxillary bone 

 small. Gill rakers rather strong, dentate. Opercle ending in two flat 

 points, with a dermal border; preopercle entire. Scales large. Dorsal 

 with ten spines; outline of the fin angulated, the middle spines being 

 much longer than some of the posterior ones; aual fin much smaller 

 than tiie dorsal, with 3 spines; caudal fin posteriorly rounded. Size 

 small, {.'jsffo^, middle; -^tD-^ta, angle; banov^ sail.) 



735. M. clasctodon (Baird) Gill. — Blaclc-Mnded Sun-ftsh. 



Body suborbicular, compressed. Head moderate, the profile nearly 

 concurrent with the dorsal curve. IVIouth very small, the maxillary 

 reaching nearly to the eye. Eye large, 3 in head. Cheeks with 3-4 

 rows of scales. Fins rather large; dorsal fin high in front, the middle 

 portion depressed. Lateral line continuous. Coloration clouded straw- 

 color, the sides with C-8 conspicuous but rather irregular black vertical 

 bars, the first through the eye, the second in front of pectorals, inter- 

 rupted on the operculum, the third at the front of the dorsal covering 

 the membrane of the first three spines, and forming a medial black 

 stripe on each ventral fin, the fourth at front of soft dorsal, the fifth 

 opposite its last ray, the last at the base of the caudal; black oper- 

 cular spot, with a crescent-shaped paler centre. Fins mottled. Head 3; 



