Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1619 



haps not distinct from the razor-fish (Xyrichthys * nomcula Linnams) of the 

 Mediterranean. (^ITTOCKO^J parrot.) 



Coryphcena psittacus J LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. xn, 448, 1766, Charleston. (Coll. Dr. 



Garden.) 

 Xyrichthys psittacus, GOODE & BEAN, Proc. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 45 ; 1885, 105 (note on type 



of Coryphcena psittacus) ; BEAN, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 1888,202. 

 don/jthcena lineata, GMELIN, Syst, Nat., 1195, 1788, Charleston. (Coll. Dr. Garden.) 

 Xf/richthys venustus, POEY, Euumeratio, 110, 1875, Martinique; substitute for X. lineatus, 



CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, supposed to be different from X. lineatus of GMELIN; BEAN! 



Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 1888, 200. 

 Xyrichthys lineatus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., xrv, 50, 1839; JORDAN & 



GILBERT, Proc. D. S. Nat. Mus. 1882, 609 ; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 605, 1883. 

 Novacula lineata, GUNTHER, Cat., iv, 171, 1862. 

 Xyrichthys vermiculatus, POEY, Memorias, n, 215, 1860, Havana (Coll. Poey) ; JORDAN & 



GILBERT, Synopsis, 605, 1883 ; BEAN, Bull. Fish Comm. 1888, 202. 



2030. XYRICHTHYS MODEST US, Poey. 



Head 3 in total with caudal; depth 4j. D. IX, 12; A. Ill, 11; scales 

 28-30-10. Body and head very much compressed ; eye high, contained 6 

 times in distance from the mouth to the point of the opercle, 3 in snout. 

 No scales 011 head. First ray of dorsal stronger than the others; caudal 

 truncate. Color carmine lake; brown posteriorly; opercle greenish 

 yellow; head with 5 black vertical bands; a deep-red band in axial cov- 

 ering base of pectoral; fins pale, scarcely streaked ; iris red. Differs from 

 rcnuiculatna in truncate caudal, longer pectoral, fewer stripes on head, and 

 absence of streaks on trunk ; the space behind pectoral red instead of 

 brown. Cuba. (Poey) ; not seen by us ; evidently very close to X. psittacus, 

 of which it is probably a color variation, (modestus, modest.) 



Xnricltfii/ft modcstus, POEY, Repertorio, n, 238, 1867, Havana (Coll. Poey) ; POEY, Synopsis, 

 336, 1868; JORDAN, Review Labroid Fishes, 661, 1890. 



645. INIISTIUS, Gill. 



Iniistius, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 143 (pavo). 

 Xyrichthys, BLEEKER, Atlas Ichth., 149, 1862 (pavo) ; not of CUVIER. 



* We have compared numerous specimens from Pensacola and Charleston, with all the 

 descriptions available of the Mediterranean species, and can find no difference whatever. 

 "We are, however, unwilling to place X. psittacus in the synonymy of X. novacula without 

 actual comparison of specimens. These Charleston specimens seem to represent the psit- 

 tacus of Linnaeus and the lineata of Gmelin. The vermiculatus of Poey seems to be the 

 same, as is also, in our opinion, his venustus (lineatus, Cuvier & Valenciennes). The white 

 peritoneal blotch of venustus is evident on some of our specimens and not on others. If 

 the synonymy be correct, this razor-fish would have a distribution unusually wide fora 

 Labroid. 'Dr. Bean admits, provisionally, X. psittacus and X. vermiculatus as species dis- 

 tinct from the common American form, for which he retains the name X. venustus. As, 

 however, the types of X. psittacus came from Charleston, they belong, probably, to the 

 species with the pale lateral blotch, the only species yet found in that region. 



t The following is the synonymy of Xyrichthys novacula (Linna3us) : 

 Confphretia palmaris pulchrevar'ia, dorso acut'o, ARTEDI, Genera, 15, 1738; ARTEDI, Syno- 



nyinia, 29, 1738. 



Coryphcena novacula, LINNJEUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 262, 1758; after ARTEDI. 

 Xi/i-ichthi/s novacula, JORDAN, Review Labroid Fishes 660. 1890. 

 Amorphocephalus aranulatu*, BOWDICH, Exc. Madeira, 238, 1825, Bona Vista. 

 ('oryiilft-na lineolata, RAFINESQUE, Caratteri, 33, 1810, Palermo. 

 Xyrichthys odtmtus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., xiv, 37, pi. 391, 1839, 



Martigues, Montpelier, Ivica, Seide. 

 Novacula cultrata, GUNTHER, Cat., iv, 169, 1862. 



