SHORE FISHES OF GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 393 



Found very common about Tagus Cove, Albemarle, but rare else- 

 where about the islands. Obtained at Albemarle, Charles, Chatham 

 and Barrington. Heretofore not reported since Valenciennes's descrip- 

 tion of the type in 1855. 



Depth 2^ to 2-|. Hence Valenciennes's figure with a depth some- 

 what more than 3 is not correct. Head 3 ; D. XII, 10. 



The males and females apparently do not differ much and both 

 present the same variations. All of our specimens have the hump on 

 the face larger than is shown in Valenciennes's figure and the snout is 

 not so sharp, the dorsal profile of the head being steeper. 



Description of a typical specimen. Profile of snout and lower 

 jaw forming a large angle with each other, very obtuse and symmetric- 

 ally rounded ; hump before and above eye, its anterior face almost 

 vertical; profile from summit of hump to nape a little concave; soft 

 dorsal and anal (in all cases) prolonged behind, but not reaching 

 beyond base of caudal rays ; caudal truncate, the upper angle slightly 

 produced, the lower rounded. (Both angles of caudal not equally 

 produced as in Valenciennes's figure.) Outer rays of ventral long, 

 slightly shorter than pectoral, latter fin wide ; eye small, 5 to 7 in head. 



Color in life. Scarcely any 2 specimens are colored alike. The 

 color of Valenciennes's figure is only one phase of the coloration of the 

 species and is not typical. Some specimens are of a uniform dusky 

 color; others are entirely pale-colored or have a few irregularly 

 scattered blotches of black. A specimen of this sort was colored as 

 follows : color above reddish-orange, purplish on sides of head, lighter 

 below ; pectoral with blackish spot at base, above this dusky-grayish ; 

 anal spines black ; ventral spine black ; caudal grayish, black on 

 middle rays. Between these 2 extremes are all degrees of mixture 

 of black and orange. In one specimen the entire fish is black except 

 the head and a longitudinal band on upper half of tail, these parts 

 being pale orange. Others have the head and most of the tail orange, 

 with this color also running ventrally from each toward middle of 

 belly. In others the paler color encroaches on the sides so that only 

 the back and upper parts of the sides are black. In still others only a 

 small amount of black is left this being on the back about the base 

 of the dorsal fin. Here is where the black appears always to make 

 either its last resistance against the encroachment of the orange, or its 

 beginning in replacing the orange. Our specimens are all of the same 

 size and we have no way of knowing whether the black replaces the 

 orange or vice versa, or whether the coloration changes at all with 

 growth or is permanent throughout life. The position of the 2 



