58 FISHES FROM BRAZIL 



a very narrow marginal line of dark red ; this is continued along upper part 

 of caudal. Anal bluish with dusky border, and a dusky band following con- 

 tour of fin a short distance above margin (the last entirely disappearing 

 in alcohol). Pectoral tinged with straw color; ventrals with orange, and 

 with a dusky outer margin. Some of the preserved specimens show a pair 

 of light bars on caudal a short distance from the tips of the rays and con- 

 verging to a point behind. The largest specimen (32 cm. in length) shows 

 no trace of cross bars. 



184. Geophagus surinamensis (Bloch), 



Several specimens were collected at Para, from 5 to 6 inches in length. 



The color in life is as follows : Dusky silvery blue on head and body, 

 with about 4 golden longitudinal lines on side above the level of the pectoral. 

 Indefinite dusky cross bars are often present, especially in the smaller speci- 

 mens. Soft dorsal and caudal dusky bluish with large pale spots so close 

 as to leave little more than a net-work of the ground color. A small dark 

 spot is usually present on the side just below the middle of the upper lateral 

 line. The pectoral is straw color, the anal light dusky brown, and the ven- 

 tral orange brown. 



Family POMACENTRID^. 

 185. Pomacentrus fuscus (Cuvier and Valenciennes). 



Pomacentriis leucostictus (Miiller and Troschel). 



This is one of the most abundant tide-pool fishes about Natal. Its 

 variation in intensity of color is remarkable, and all of the phases between 

 the typical Pomacentrus leucostictus and P. fuscus are represented. The 

 following are the life colors of a young individual. Below a line from the 

 tip of the snout to the end of the soft dorsal the body is bright canary-yellow. 

 Above it is dark blue with vivid electric-blue spots. An irregular stripe of 

 similar electric blue runs from the tip of the snout, across the nape, to the 

 spinous dorsal. Another runs from the eye backward along each side of the 

 back. The dorsals are bright blue, with the tip of the soft dorsal yellow and 

 all of the other fins are bright canary-yellow. A large dark spot, ocellated 

 with bright blue, is on the base of the spinous dorsal posteriorly. A small 

 dark spot is on the base of the caudal peduncle. 



186. Abudufduf marginatus (Bloch). 



Many specimens of this common species were taken in the tide pools at 

 Natal. 



