THIRTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT etal 
by the red parrot-fish, (Sparisoma abildgaardi), has the power of 
ereatly intensifying or obscuring its colors and markings. In its 
brightest and most showy phase the fish is of a uniform bright 
green color, with the border of the gill cover a brownish red, the 
same color appearing on the borders of all scales until they are 
outlined with remarkable distinctness. 
In the hiding or resting phase of coloration the conspicuous 
green of the fish is obscured by much heavy mottling of brown, 
so much at times that the green disappears under the general 
suffusion of brown. This coloration is maintained as long as the 
fish remains quiet against a dark background. 
Pierisu, (Orthopristis chrysopterus). Four phases: 
1. The ordinary coloration is pale, without markings. This 
unmarked phase is fairly well indicated by the cut on page 434, 
American Food and Game Fishes. 
2. Seven or eight irregular, vertical, dark bands, not unlike 
those of the tautog, (Tautoga onitis). 
3. These bands are sometimes suddenly cut off at the level of 
the eye, the entire under parts turning white. 
4. Another phase shows coloration under excitement. The 
vertical bands almost disappear and two longitudinal, broad, 
dark bands come out, the upper one extending from forehead 
to end of dorsal, following the curve of the body; the lower band 
straight, along median line from snout through eye to tail. The 
lower surface up to the median band is pale white. This colora- 
tion developed instantly in the larger fish whenever it began 
following and biting its former mate. The sexes were not dis- 
tinguished. 
Since a number of heavily banded tautogs were placed in the 
tank with a pigfish, the latter has worn its vertical bands habitu- 
ally. This fact was noted and reported to me by several of the 
attendants, independently of my own observation. The pigfish 
has quite changed its habit of actively swimming about, and 
now usually rests in the bottom among the tautogs, from which 
a casual glance does not distinguish it, so nearly perfect is the 
mimicry. 
YeELLOow Grunt, (Haemulon sciurus). This species when quiet, 
in mid-tank, is of a uniformly pale golden color with narrow, 
longitudinal stripes of blue. 
If excited or alarmed two complete changes may take place: 
In the exhibition tank the whole school drops lower down, the 
soft dorsal fin and the most of the tail turning black. If one or 
more specimens are placed in the small photographic tank and 
