534 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NOBTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



strong, not filamentous, the middle ones rather higher than the poste- 

 rior, wliich are considerably lower than the soft rays, the highest spine 

 as long as from snout to middle of eye. Anal short and high, its spines 

 graduated. Pectoral very long, 1^ in head, reaching vent. Yentrals 

 long, nearly reaching vent, inserted below front of base of pectorals. 

 Caudal slightly double concave ; fins little scaly, except at base 5 a rudi- 

 mentary groove at base of spinous dorsal, over which scales do not 

 pass. Head 22 ; depth 2|. D. X, 11 ; A. Ill, 7 ; Lat. 1. 50 ; coeca 4-7. 

 L. 12 inches. Cape Cod to Florida ; generally abundant. 



(Perca atraria L. Syst. Nat. : Centropristls nigricans Cuv. & Val. iii, 37 : Ccntropristis 

 atrarius Giinther, i, 86: Centropristis atratius Holbrook, Ich. S. Car. 42.) 



tt Dorsal spines produced in long filaments. (Triloiurus* Gill.) 



S37, S. trifeircus (Linn.) J. & G. 



Grayish, with purple reflections; sides with C dusky gray vertical 

 bars meeting across the back; silvery below; head bronze, with blue 

 streaks in front of eye; dorsal shaded with olive, a large irregular 

 black spot near its middle ; dorsal filaments red. Body slender, little 

 elevated, subfusiform. Mouth large, nearly horizontal, maxillary reach- 

 ing to opposite middle of orbit. Preopercle finely and evenly serrated. 

 Most of the dorsal spines and the three lobes of the caudal produced 

 and filamentous. Head 3 ; depth about 4. D. X, 11 ; A, HI, 8 ; Lat. 1. 

 about 55. South Atlantic coast ; not very common. 



{Perca trifurca Linn. Syst. Nat. i, 489: Ceritropristis trifurca Holbrook, Ich. S. Car. 

 1860, 49: Anthias fitrcatus Giinther, i, 9L) 



** Caudal lunate or truncate. 



t Serrae on lower limb of preopercle small, not antrorse. 

 a. Canine teeth small. 



b. Dorsal fin continuous, none of the spines elevated. 



c. Serraj at the angle of the preopercle forming one or two groups of 

 radiating spines; soft dorsal rather short. {Diplectrum t Holbr.) 



83§. S. faseicularls Cuv. & Val. — Squirrel Fish; Sci-rano. 



Brownish above, silvery below, sides marked with 7 or 8 longitudinal 

 dark-blue lines ; head marked with blotches and lines of dark blue ; 

 three or four distinct blue stripes across top of head ; two across pre- 

 orbital, the lower forked ; fins barred with blue and pale yellow. Body 

 elongate, not elevated. Head naked above ; mouth rather large, maxil- 

 lary narrow, nearly reaching posterior margin of orbit. Dorsal and 



* Gill, Cat. Fishes East Coast N. Am. 1831, 30 ; not characterized: type Perca trifurca 

 L. (rpf??, three; Xofibi, lobe,; ovpa, tail.) 



tHolbrook, Ich. S. C. ed. 1, 32, 1859: type Serranus fascicularis C. & V. (5r?, 

 two; TtXfjHTpoy, spur.) 



