444 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Habitat: West Indies, north to Key West, south to Bahia. 



l^tymolofiy : The plural of the Cuban name, c<t}i\ foniu'ily spelled caxi. 



'i'liis sixH'ics is xery abundant in tlui markets of Havana, where 

 it is still known as caji (in old Spanish caxi, of wbich ^^caxis^^ is a 

 plural form). Tbis iK'rsislence of the common name is the only certain 

 basis of identilicalion of Parra's 6V^f/',s\ It is almost <Mpially connnou 

 at Key West, where, as in Catesby's time, it is known as the "school- 

 nnister." Tbe latter name is, howcA'cr, indifferently ai)j)lied by the 

 lishermen to LiitjmiKst jocu also. 



There seems to be little doubt, in spite of the difference in color, which 

 seems to be the fault of the printer, that the ucutlrosiris of ]3umcril is 

 L. caxis. We have examined the ori<;inal types of cynodon, liiiea, and 

 Jiarescens, which are identical with Jj. caxis. 



Peters adopts Schneider's name albostrlatua (apparently originally a 

 mere slip of the pen for striatus), "because another species has been 

 lately named Mcsoprion striatum.''' Peters identified Schneider's type 

 with '■^ Mesoprion Unea C. & V." 



This species is closely allied to L. f/riscua and still more nearly to 

 L. jocu. The latter is very similar in form and coloration, but has 

 decidedly smaller scales. The ibrmer is more elonij;ate, and has the 

 vertical tins always dark, while in caxis and jocii yellowish colors 

 ])redominate. 



Specimens of X. caxis are in the museum at Cambridge fron; Cuba, 

 Sombrero, and Jer6mie, Haiti. A specimen from Pernambuco is more 

 elongate (depth 2f in length), and the lower teeth a little strcmger. 



We i)rovisionally reject the name ajwda, although older than caxis, 

 because it may have been intended either for this species ovjocu, while 

 the bad figure must have been drawn from memory by Catesby. Not 

 one fisherman in ten in the Florida Keys can distinguish the "school- 

 master" from the " dog snap])er." The- fishermen of Cubaare, however, 

 more skillful iti separating their cajt from the jocu, 



9, LUT JANUS ARGENTIVENTRIS, (Pargo AmariUo.) 



Mesojyrion arf/cnlivctilriH Petern, IJorHn. Monatsber,, 1869, 701 (Mazjifhui), 



Jyittjdnnx (irgeuthH'iilris, Jordan, I'nxs. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pbilii. 18S3, L'S5 (Mazatlaii) ; Jor- 

 dan & Swain, 1. c, 4.31 (Mazatlan; Panama); Kvcrinanu & Jonkins, Proo. 

 IJ. S. N. M. 1891. 14(5 ((iuayinaH). 



McHoprion (/H«'M«, (Jiintluir, FjhIics Central America, 18(!;S, 38;") (uamo ttiily; not of 

 Ciiv. iV. Val.). 



Lutjanus nrffciitirittatiiK, .hmhin & Gilbert. Proc. F. S. N, M. 1881, 354; .Jordan &, 

 Gilbert, Bull. U. S. F. C. 1SS2, 107. 110 (Mazatlan, Panama); .Ionian & 

 Gilbert, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1882, 62.5 (Panama), {lapsits ctilaml for ar(jeHti- 

 reulris). 



Habitat: Pacific coast of tropical America. 

 Etymology: Argentcus, silvery; renter, belly. 



