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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. 41. 



tip of snout, extends over eye to posterior base of second dorsal; the 

 second from near tip of snout through middle of eye to base of caudal; 

 the third from middle of maxillary, below eye, through base of pec- 

 toral to base of caudal, parallel with contour of ventral surface, nar- 

 rowest on caudal peduncle; traces of a fourth from throat to base of 

 ventrals, uniting as a median ventral stripe to base of anal ; a broad 

 band of silver forms lower margin to third; spinous dorsal dusky slate, 

 other fins hyaline; constricted tip of tongue white, rest of tongue 

 silver plated. 



Color in life of two specimens from Usada Island near Jolo : General 

 color seal brown, over silvery, with reddish shades under this; vertical 

 fins vermilion; paired fins similar but very pale. When first taken 

 from the water these examples were black as in deep-sea fishes — pal- 

 ing later, the reds appearing. 



Fig. 3.— Amia VERSICOLOR. (From the type. Twice natural size.) 



This interesting little species is subject to a remarkable variation in 

 color and form. Most of the specimens taken with seine at Cataingan 

 Bay, Masbate, are like the type in coloration, the others, together with 

 specimens taken with dynamite at Usada and Pangasinan Islands, are 

 silvery black without or with only slight traces of stripes, others taken 

 with the dredge in deep water are silvery white, the stripes in some 

 very distinct, these shading into forms in which the striping is less and 

 less marked, finally disappearing entirely, especially those taken with 

 seine at Canmahala Bay, Luzon. The silver plating on tongue and 

 the broad silvery band from throat to inferior caudal base are pres- 

 ent in all. In form they range from the robust little fish with a very 

 large head to an elongate, spindle-shaped form as in Canmahala Bay 

 examples; these may represent a distinct species, but tlie gradations 

 from one form to the other are so close that it has seemed best not to 

 separate them. 



Following is description of one of slender form from Camnahala 

 Bay, Luzon, length 4.4 cm. : 



Dorsal vii-i, 9; analii,8; scales 3 + 6 — 23. 



