36 



nearly equal parts, a large circular spot of the same color at the base of 

 each ray except the first. Pectoral with the first five rays and a nar- 

 row transverse line across the base from the fourth ray blue. 



My notes on the colors of young and adult specimens of this species 

 'have led me to believe that the different ages have been described un- 

 der several different specific names, as the synonymy given above would 

 indicate. Julis cyanostigma was the name given by Cuvier and Valen- 

 ciennes to specimens six inches in length, Julis principis to those of 

 eleven inches, while those ranging from thirteen to fifteen inches are 

 included under Julis patatus. The specimens of larger size {'■'■Vindividus 

 a plus de quinzes pouces'^), included under the latter name, probably belong 

 to another species. The 'Mudian fishermen recognize the difference in 

 color to be caused by age.* I have seen specimens with the colors of 

 immaturity, which had attained the length of ten inches. It will proba- 

 bly be found that the change of color is not restricted to any fixed 

 period in the growth of the fish. Should farther investigations sustain 

 the opinion of Dr. Giinthert that Linne's /S(parMS rarfia/MS is a different 

 species from that figured by Oatesby, the specific name cyanostigma 

 should be retained. 



LACHNOL^MUS FALCATUS, {Linne) Val. 

 Hog-fish. 



Suillus (Great Hog-fish), Catesby, Hist. Carol. Florida and the Bahama Islands, ii, 



1743, 135, tab. xv. 

 Ifl&?-MS /a/cfliMS, Linne, Syst. Nat. ed. 10,1, 1758,284; ed. 12,1, 1766, 475.— Gmelin, 



Linne, Syst. Nat. ed. 1, 1788, 1287.— Lac^pede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. &c. iii, 1803, 



425, 463. 

 Lachnolaimus falcatus, Cuv. & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss. xiii, 276.— Gunther, Cat. Fish. 



Brit. Mas. iv, 1862, 87.— Poey, Rep. Fis.-Nat. Cuba,ii, 1868, 330.— Cope, Trans 



Am. Phil. Soc. 1870, 464. 

 Lachnolaimus aigula, Cuv.'& Val., op. cit. 277, tab. 388 (type 11 inches long).— Storek, 



Syn. Fish. N. Am., 136. 

 Lachnolaimus dux, Cuv. & Val., op. cit. 285 (type 8 inches long). — Stoker, 1. c. 

 Lachnolaimus suillus, Cuv. & Val., op. cit. 286 (type 24 inches long).— Storer, 1. c. 

 Lachnolaimus caninus, Cuv. & Val., op. cit. 288 (type 10 inches long). — Storer, I.e. 

 Lachnolaimus imttacus, Cuv. & Val., op. cit. 291. — Storer, 1. c. 



Very common here, as it is throughout the West Indies. Hog-fish 



* Since the above was written, I find that very similar conclusions have been reached 

 by Professor Poey, -who gives under Chcerojulis cyanostigma a synonymy much like the 

 above. 



tCat. Fish. Brit. Mus. iv, p. 164, note. 



