116 MR. J. T. CUNNINGHAM ON MARINE FISHES [Jan. 18, 



jaw g the length of the head. Width between orbits J- length 

 of head. Cheeks and upper part of operculum with rudimentary 

 scales. Teeth on vomer and palatines. Most of the scales in the 

 dorsal and lateral regions fringed with a thin flap of skin ; no 

 orbital tentacles. 



My first specimens of this species were obtained in the fish- 

 market, to which they are brought regularly ; afterwards I caught 

 four specimens in a small trammel set in about 4 fathoms of water 

 off Banks' Valley, and three in a haul of the small otter-trawl in 

 about 30 fathoms from Jamestown to Lemon Valley. I also 

 caught two or three specimens in Prosperous Bay on the wind- 

 ward side of the island at a depth of about 10 fathoms. 



This species was described by Ouvier and Valenciennes 

 from specimens obtained from Brazil, and no specimens were in 

 the British Museum collection until Melliss sent some from 

 St. Helena. 



Salarias textilis. 



Salarias textilis (Quoy <fe Gaimard), Cuv. & Val. xi. p. 307 ; 

 Giinther, B. M. Cat. Fishes, iii. p. 248. 



D. XII, 15.; V. I, 6. 



I obtained a single small specimen 2| ins. long from a rock-pool 

 below the wharf at Jamestown. It agrees with Giinther's descrip- 

 tion. The first dorsal is almost completely separated from the 

 second by a deep notch. There is a tentacle with several filaments 

 above the orbit, another at the nostril, and a small one on the 

 neck on each side of the dorsal median line ; 1 2 transverse brown 

 bands on the sides and others on the tail, oblique brown bands on 

 the dorsal fin, a square spot above the pectoral representing the 

 first transverse stripe ; second dorsal much higher than the first 

 and than the ventral. 



This species was previously known only from Ascension ; two 

 specimens from that island presented by Dr. McCloy are in the 

 British Museum. 



Balistes buniva. 



Balistes ringens Osbeck, Voy. Chin. ii. p. 93 (not Linn.). 



Baliste buniva Lacep. v. p. 669, pi. 21. fig. 1. 



Balistes buniva Giinther, B. M. Cat. Fishes, viii. p. 228 ; Melliss. 



File-fish, Melliss. 



I brought two specimens of this species home with me, one from 

 St. Helena and one from Ascension ; the former was 9 ins. long, the 

 other 10 ins. They agree with the description given in Giinther's 

 Catalogue except the following details : the white line along the 

 bases of the dorsal and ventral fins is blue in the fresh fish ; in 

 the larger specimen there is a black intra-marginal line edged 

 externally by a thin white or blue line along the border of the 

 caudal fin, and the dorsal and ventral extremities of this fin are 

 •slightly prolonged, the posterior edge of the fin being concave,; 



