The Parrot- Fishes 



common about Porto Rico where it reaches a good size and has 

 some value as a food-fish. 



5. lorito, the loro, occurs among the West Indies and south- 

 ward. Obtained by us in Porto Rico, where it is used as food. 



S. viride, also known as the loro verde, cotoro, or dark- 

 green parrot-fish, is another West Indian species ranging north 

 to the Bahamas and the Florida Keys. It is common about 

 Porto Rico where it is a food-fish of some value. It reaches 2 

 feet in length. While all of these species of "loros" or "co- 

 toros" are utilized by the Tortola and St. Thomas fishermen 

 frequenting the grounds about the east end of Porto Rico, they 

 are not so much used in Porto Rico. 



The genus Scarus is also a large one with many species in 

 all tropical seas. Most of them are large fishes of soft flesh, 

 and of no great value. 



Scarus vetula, the old-wife or vieja, reaches a length of 2 

 feet and is one of the most gorgeous of parrot-fishes. It is 

 generally common throughout the West Indies. In Porto Rico it 

 is used as food. The largest and most important species of the 

 genus is the blue parrot-fish or tumble-rose (S. cceruleus), which 

 reaches a length of 2 or 3 feet and a weight of 12 to 20 

 pounds. It has the widest distribution of any of our species, 

 being found from Chesapeake Bay southward to Brazil. It is 

 generally common. At the east end of Porto Rico it was not 

 rare, very large examples having been seen by us at Culebra 

 Island. Though evidently not held in* high esteem it is doubtless 

 the most important of the parrot-fishes occurring in Porto Rican 

 waters, and its importance is due chiefly to its abundance and 

 large size. Its colour is nearly uniform turquoise-blue throughout. 



The genus Pseudoscarus contains 5 species all distinguished 

 from species of other genera by their green or blue teeth or jaws. 

 The Guacamaia, Pseudoscarus guacamaia, is the only important 

 species. It is found from Florida to Brazil, being common among 

 the Florida Keys, at Havana, about Porto Rico, and nearly every- 

 where in the West Indies. It reaches 2 or 3 feet in length 

 and ranks with the other large species as an inferior food-fish. 

 P. perrico is a large species found on the Pacific Coast of 

 Mexico. It and Calotomus xenodon are the only scaroids known 

 from the eastern Pacific. In Hawaii the parrot-fishes, being eaten 

 raw, are very highly esteemed, and even once held as tabu, to 

 be touched only by royalty. 



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