THE ANIMAL LIFE OP THE GROUP. 369 



least resembles a bass passes as one among this class of fishermen. As a 

 matter of fact, there are but five species belonging to as many genera of the 

 sea-bass ^^ family that have so far been taken from Hawaiian waters. It is 

 true that it requires some skill to detect the characteristics that separate the 

 cardinal-fishes on the one hand and the catalufas and snappers on the other. 

 If the fish in hand should prove to have three and only three stiff, strong spines 

 in the anal fin and be bass or perch-like in form, the chances are it would prove 

 to be a true bass. However, it would then require much consulting of author- 

 ities to prove the specific identity of the species, as the matter is further 

 complicated l)y a disagreement in popular nomenclature as to whether it 

 should be called a Jew-fish, a grouper, or a hind. 



The hapu'u pu'u-''^ is the most important and common species in the 

 market, where specimens three feet or more in length are not uncommon. It 

 is a dai'k purplish-brown fish with occasional irregular pearly spots on the 

 sides and with lilaek ventral fins, tliouuli in old specimens the spots disappear, 

 leavint: the fish a nnifoi-ni reddish leather-brown. They are usually caught 

 witli a hook and are the only species of the liass family commonly known liy a 

 Hawaiian name. 



One might naturall\- expect that the ocean about these islands would be 

 inhabited by representatives of almost every type of animal to be found in the 

 sea anywhere. However, the announcement of the discovery of the presence 

 of the sea-devil -" family close at hand will come in the nature of a surprise 

 to many. That the creature was a new species and called for the creation of a 

 new genus is made plain from its description, which, briefly put, chai-aeterizes 

 it as an inky black animal with small eyes, a white mouth and a protruding 

 chin. Any fear and uneasiness that may have been felt at the discovery of a 

 mend)er of this satanic family about the islands will be allayed somewhat when 

 it is k'nown tliiit tlie only specimen of the genus ever discovered is less than 

 four inches long and was di'cdged from the fiooi' of the ocean tuider 500 

 fathoms of water. 



Snappers. 



The snapper family '^" is represented in Hawaii by seven or eight important 

 food fish. As has been stated, they closely resemble the sea-bass. One fa- 

 miliar with the characteristics of the two families, however, will be able to 

 jxiiiit out that in the snappers "the maxillary slips along. its edge into a sheath 

 for-nied by the broad end of the iii'eoi'bital," while the sea-bass have no sueh 

 sheath. 



The eight species are all fairly aliuiidant, earnivoi'ous. voracious, ganiey, 

 excellent high-colored fish, and all are known at the marekt by Hawaiian 

 names. The ukikiki ^' is a fairly common red fish with diagonal golden cross- 

 bands. It is a fine, firm, white-fleshed fish especially suitable for baking. The 



•lidtv. ■'*' E /finriiliftiifi qui' 



i-elti (Apsilus) hrii/hami. 



