THE FISHES OF SAMOA. 383 



Recorded by Giinther from Fiji. The species is very close to Valenciennea mural™, with which 

 it is identified by Jordan & Snyder (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xxiv, 42) from the Riukiu Islands. Dr. 

 Giinther, however, regards it as distinct. 



1400. Valenciennea strig-ata (Broussonet). Tahiti; Fiji; Samoa (Giinther); East Indies. 



Gobius strigalus Broussonet, Ichth., Dec. 1, pi. 1, 1782, Tahiti. 



Eleolris drigata, Giinther, Fische der Siklsee, 190, taf. Ill, fig. e, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti. 



The species was not taken by us at Samoa. It is easily recognized by the much longer dorsal and 

 anal fins. Dorsal vi, I, 18; anal i, 16. 



1401. Valenciennea violifera Jordan & Seale, new species. Ta'olo. Samoa. (PI. i,n, fig. 2.) 

 Head 3.45 in length; depth 5; eye 5 in head; dorsal vi-i, 12; anal I, 12; scales 75; interorbital 



5.50; snout 3.10. 



Body elongate, compressed; snout rounded; mouth large, lips rather thick, the angle of the jaws 

 under middle of eye; jaws with 2 rows of small, curved, sharp-pointed teeth; opercle and preoper- 

 cle entire; gillrakers short, soft, with elongate point on lower limb; caudal peduncle strong, its depth 

 2.50 in head; origin of spinous dorsal on line with base of ventrals; third and fourth spines of first 

 dorsal slightly elongate, 1.14 in head; base of soft dorsal equal to head, its longest ray about 2 in head; 

 base of anal 1.20 in head, its longest ray 1.25 in base, its origin midway between base of caudal and 

 posterior margin of eye; pectoral 1.30 in head; ventral 1.90 in head; caudal rounded, equal to head. 



Life colors of a specimen from Apia (very young), very pale olive, with two faint livid blue lateral 

 streaks connected with cross lines of the same color; fins all pale; dorsal tipped with black. 



An adult specimen from Pago Pago was light olive, mottled with pale pinkish brown; a pinkish 

 brown stripe from lower pectoral axil straight to base of caudal; six violet spots darker edged, on side 

 of head; one on base of pectoral; dorsal light reddish, a jet black spot edged with white on the tips 

 of the longest spines; caudal pale, mottled light green and pink at base; the larger examples have a 

 black spot on upper partof caudal; blue spots plainer; anal light yellow; pink brown at base and dark- 

 edged, often pink at base and edge; ventral and pectoral pale; pectoral without dark in axil. 



Color in spirits dull yellowish white with tint of brown; some specimens show traces of 7 dusky 

 blotches along back; five or six bluish white spots on opercle and cheek; an indistinct brownish line 

 from axil of pectoral to caudal; belly and chin bluish white; third and fourth spines of dorsal tipped 

 with black; spinous and soft dorsal with indistinct blue lines; caudal (except in young) with a black 

 blotch on its upper middle portion; anal with narrow dark line at margin and another near the base; 

 some specimens show a dusky tip to" caudal; pectoral and ventral unmarked. 



This handsome species is common in the crevices of the coral reefs about Apia and Pago Pago. 

 It seems to be distinct from the two species muralis and sexguttala of the western Pacific. It has the 

 head markings of the latter with the body markings of the former. 



Seven specimens from Pago Pago and 23 from Apia. Specimens also from the island of Negros, 

 P. I., collected by Dr. Bashford Dean. 



The type is no. 51771, U. S. National Museum, 4.60 inches long, from Apia. 



ELE0TKIS (Gronow) Bloch & Schneider. 



1402. Eleotris fusca (Bloch & Schneider). Pa'ofu. Samoa; Tahiti; Oualan; Fiji; Guam; Waigiu; 



Vanicolo; Aneiteum; Solomon Is.; New Hebrides; Borabora; Tubuai and Nukahiva (Seale); 

 East Indies. 

 Fifty-three specimens from the lowtr course of Yaisigano River at Apia and from Gasegase River 

 in the neighboring village of Vaimosa; 15 specimens from brackish w : ater at Pago Pago. 



This species is widely distributed through the South Seas. It is common in the sluggish waters 

 of the lower reaches of the Vaisigano and other streams. 



Eleolris sandwichensU of Hawaii, a species entirely similar in size, appearance, and habit, differs in 

 having larger scales. 



1403. Eleotris sandwichensis Vaillant & Sauvage. Streams of Hawaii. 



