230 PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATEis NATIONAL MUSEUM. [16d;; 



The middle of the back is not so much elevated as iu P. millleri. 



The leugth of the head is slii^htly more than oue- third of the total without 

 caudal. The eye is twice as long as the snout, and about two-fifths 

 as long as the head. The maxilla is about one-half as long as the head 

 and its posterior extremity is very much widened. The mandible is 

 slightly longer than the maxilla, its length being nearly one-half the 

 greatest height of the body. The width of the interorbital space equals 

 one-half the length of the maxilla. The greatest height of the body 

 equals two-fifths of the total length to caudal base. The least height of 

 the tail equals the width of the interorbital area. The origin of the 

 dorsal is slightly behind the vertical through the origin of the ventral, 

 the distance from tip of snout to the origin of the dorsal being not much 

 more than the length of the anal base. The longest dorsal ray slightly 

 exceeds one-half the length of the head. The length of the dorsal base 

 equals the length of the mandible. The origin of the dorsal fin is con- 

 siderably in advance of the middle of the total length. The origin of 

 the anal fin is -directly under the end of the dorsal. The length of the 

 anal base equals the greatest height of the body, and is not much in 

 excess of the length of the head. The origin of the ventral is almost 

 directly undw that of the dorsal. The third ray of the ventral is as 

 long as the eye. The pectoral is one-fourth as long as the total with- 

 out caudal. The caudal fin is too imperfect to be described. 



D. IV, 8 ; A. Ill, 24 ; V. I, 5 ; Sc. 2-5(J-12. 



This species is dedicated to the distinguished Cuban naturalist, Prof. 

 Felipe Poey. 



NOTES ON EPINEPHELUS NIGRITUS, CAULOLATILUS MICROPS, 

 AND CORYPHiENA HIPPURUS. 



By TAB1.ETOIV U. BEAIV, 



Curatiir of the Department of Fishes, U. S. National Mmeum. 



The United States Fish Commission steamer Albatross has recently 

 returned from a cruise off the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, bringing to the 

 Museum additional collections of desiderata, among them numerous 

 species of fishes. 



Two of the species taken on hand-lines and brought in fresh are re- 

 ferred to in the following paper. One of these is a smallish' example of 

 the black grouper, Ejyineplielus nigritus, which weighed 32 pounds after 

 evisceration. Because of the comparative rarity of small specimens of 

 this grouper, and also because of the doubt recently expressed by my 

 friend, Professor Jordan, concerning the distinctness of nigritus from 

 morio, the arrival of a fine young example from a region which is rather 

 outside of its customary range is both interesting and opportune. After 

 studying.the Albatross specimen I am strengthened in my opinion that 

 nigritus and morio are by no means identical, if, indeed, they may eveu 

 be considered as closely related. 



