TIIIRTFJ-XI-II ANNUAL REPORT 11] 



l)y the red parrot-fish. { Spdrisoina ahil(l::;aariii ) , has ihc- power of 

 greatly intensifying' or obscuring its colors and markings. In its 

 brightest and most showy phase the fish is of a uniform bright 

 green color, with the border of the gill cover a brownish red, the 

 same color appearing on the borders of all scales until they are 

 outlined with remarkable distinctness. 



In the hiding or resting phase of coloration the conspicuous 

 green of the fish is obscured by much heavy mottling of brown. 

 so much at times that the green disappears under the general 

 suffusion of brown. This coloration is maintained as long as the 

 fish remains (|uict against a dark background. 



I'loi'i^ii, { Orthoprislis chr\so[^icnts) . I'nuv i)hases: 



1. The ordinar}' coloration is ])ale. without markings. This 

 immarked phase is fairly well indicated ])y the cut on page 434. 

 American Food and Came l-'ishes. 



2. Seven or eight irregular, vertical, dark bands, not unlike 

 those of the tautog* {Tautoga oiiitis). 



3. These bands are sometimes suddenly cut off at the level of 

 the eye, the entire under parts turning white. 



4. Another phase shows coloration under excitement. The 

 vertical bands almost disappear and two longitudinal, broad, 

 dark bands come out, the upper one extending from forehead 

 to end of dorsal, following the curve of the body : the lower band 

 straight, along median line from snout through eye to tail. The 

 lower surface up to the median band is pale white. I'his colora- 

 tion developed instantly in the larger fish whenever it began 

 following and biting its former mate. The sexes were not dis- 

 tinguished. 



Since a number of heavily banded tautogs were placed in the 

 tank with a pigfish, the latter has worn its vertical bands habitu- 

 allv. This fact was noted and reported to me by several of the 

 attendants, independently of my own observation. The pigfish 

 has quite changed its habit of actively swimming about, and 

 now usually rests in the bottom among the tautogs, from which 

 a casual glance does not distinguish it. so nearly i)erfect is the 

 mimicr} . 



Yellow Gkuxt, (Hacmulon sciunis). This species when quiet, 

 in mid-tank, is of a uniformly pale golden color with narrow, 

 longitudinal stripes of blue. 



If excited or alarmed two complete changes may take place: 

 In the exhibition tank the whole school drops lower down, the 

 soft dorsal fin and the most of the tail turning black. If one or 

 more specimens are placed in the small photograi)hic tank and 



