380 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [38] 



dorsal rays shorter than the middle and posterior ones ; the eleventh 

 longer than the fourth by an eye's diameter, little more than half the 

 length of the head ; soft dorsal very broadly rounded posteriorly ; cau- 

 dal short, broad, rounded behind ; anal inserted posteriorly, the tips of 

 the anal extending nearly as far as the tips of the dorsal ; second anal 

 spine moderate, scarcely more than two-thirds the length of the rays, 

 little less than 3 in head ; ventrals lanceolate, slightly longer than the 

 rounded pectorals, LJ in head. 



Color (in spirits), light brownish above, silvery on sides and below; 

 the centers of the scales with many dark dots, these forming horizontal 

 lines along the series of scales below the lateral line and oblique, 

 irregular, often interrupted, lines above the lateral line; all the fins 

 with dark dots ; spinous dorsal dusky; soft dorsal brownish for two- 

 fifths of its height ; the oth er three-fifths pale ; anal and tips of ventrals 

 dusky; pectoral pale; head with many minute rusty dots; these ag- 

 gregated, and forming brownish spots on the maxillary and lower part 

 of the head. 



35. CORVULA SUBiEQUALIS. 



Corvina subcequalis Poey, Aim. Lye. Nat. Hist., New York, 1875, 58 (Cuba). Poey, 

 Enumeratio, 48, 1875 (Cuba). 



Habitat. — West Indian fauna. 



We refer two specimens from Saint Thomas to this species, although 

 tihey differ in some respects from Poey's description of Corvina sub- 

 ccqualis. The specimens are in the museum at Cambridge, and are in 

 rather poor condition. The more elongate body and the smaller num- 

 ber of dorsal rays distinguish subcequalis readily from sialis. 



36. CORVULA BATABANA. 



Johnius batabanus Poey, Memorias, ii, 184, 18G0 (Batabauo, Cuba); Synopsis, 3:24, 

 1868 (Cuba); Enumeratio, 49, 1875 (Cuba) ; Fauna Puerto-RiqueSa, 327, 1881 

 (Porto Rico). 



Larimus batabanus Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1886, 43 (Havana). 



Habitat. — West Indian fauna. 



This rare species is known to us from a single specimen, obtained by 

 Dr. Jordan in Havana, and from several specimens sent by Professor 

 Poey to the museum at Cambridge. Its strongly marked coloration is 

 a very unusual trait in this family. It diverges in several ways from 

 the other species referred by us to Corvula, but we think that all should 

 be placed in one genus. 



Genus IX.— PLAGIOSCIOX. 



Plagioscion Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, 82 (a generic description only 



no species or type being indicated). 

 Diplolepis Steindacbuer, Beitriige zur Kenutuiss der Sciasnoiden Brasiliens, 1863, 



2 (squamosissimus ; name preoccupied in Hymenoptera). 

 Plagioscion Jordan & Eigenmann (squamosissima). 



Type : Sciama squamossissima HeckeL 



