Repoi't of a Missuni to Ciuam . 89 



blotches and spots. Three or four indistinct short silver\- bands 

 on sides of bell}' covered by the pectorals. A bluish black spot 

 just back of orbit. Opercular lobe dark violet preceded by a silvery 

 spot. About 7 3-ellowish white spots on the bach, along the base 

 of the dorsal. Head with several reddish ^-iolet bands, the outer 

 one extending from gape to the middle of opercle; the one just 

 above it extends from maxillary through lower part of orbit, where 

 it branches, one branch curving down along the posterior margin 

 of the opercle but not forming a complete ring. There are about 

 three yellowish cross bands on top of the head. Dorsal fin with a 

 small black spot between its 1-2 spines and a larger black ocelus 

 between the 2-3 soft rays, and blue-tipped with a yellowish white 

 dark-edged band through the middle. Caudal yellowish. Ventrals 

 and pectorals yellowish white. Three specimens. Length 3 inches. 

 Guam, July 14, 1900. Hab. Red Sea, East Indies, Marianas. 



140. Halichoeres opercularis Gunth. 



Young: Head 3; depth 3.50; eye 4; interorbital 5; D. ix 11; 

 A. Ill 10. Scales 2-29-9. Bod}- oblong, compressed. Color in 

 spirits: Scales of upper half of bod}' have dark brown margins with 

 lighter centres. A series of five or six whitish spots along base of 

 dorsal. A silvery dark-edged band from gape to opercles. A violet 

 spot behind orbit; another larger one edged with dark brown on 

 the extremity of operculum . Lower half of body whitish , with two 

 silvery lines on the sides of abdomen descending obliquely forward. 

 A black spot on dorsal between 1-2 spines; a larger yellow-edged 

 spot between 1-3 dorsal soft rays. Anal white with grayish spots 

 at base. Caudal yellow, tipped with dusky. Two specimens. 

 Length 2 inches. Guam, July 14, 1900. Hab. Fiji Lslands, Am- 

 boyna, Marianas. 



141. Halichoeres leparensis (Bleek.). 



Young: Head 3.30; depth 4.20; eye 4; interorbital 4. Scales 26. 

 Lateral line continuous, no scales on head. Body oblong, com- 

 pressed. Color in spirits: Faded into almost uniform light olive 

 _gray. Dorsal fin with large black spot between 1-2 spines and 1-2 

 soft rays; also indication of 8-9 minute dark dots along base of 

 dorsal and a small black spot at base of caudal; otherwise fins 

 white. An indication of narrow vertical bands — a brownish white 

 line from behind margin of orbit continued in lighter shade of color 

 to caudal. One specimen, badly faded. Length 1.50 inches. 

 Guam, July 14, 1900. Hab. East Indian Archipelago, Marianas. 



142. Halichoeres nigropunctatus sp. nov. 



Head 3.33; depth 3.33; eye 5; interorbital 4, equal to snout; 

 D. IX 11; A. iif 11; P- 12; V. I 5. Scales 2-30-9. Lateral line 

 continuous. No scales on head; scales on the thorax smaller than 



