56 JOURNAL OF MARINE ZOOLOGY AND MICROSCOPY. 



The so-called, L. trimaculatus, called here " Le Roi" is normally 

 of a bright vermilion orange, with from three to five dark blackish 

 patches along the back, close to, and sometimes even encroaching 

 upon the dorsal fin. The most well marked spots are usually just at 

 the hinder end of this fin. 



Now the evidence I have to offer is briefly stated thus : — These 

 fishes being brightly coloured, we used our best endeavours to procure 

 a good number for the aquarium tanks of the Station, and as they 

 are extremely resentful of handling, being usually half dead, spite of 

 all care, when brought up from the fishing boats, we, unfortunately, 

 had an opportunity of examining quite a considerable number ere we 

 succeeded in stocking the tanks. Of such as were brought up, most 

 of the L. trimaculatus were of the colouring noted above ; two, 

 however, showed unmistakeable signs of the L. mixtus relationship. 

 Thus one showed dark markings on the head in just the position of 

 the blue streaks of L. mixtus, while similar dark bands were along 

 the sides of the body, and the tail, too, showed a faint but decided 

 blue border. The other specimen was almost without the charac- 

 teristic black spots, and showed besides, faint blue marking on both 

 tail and dorsal fin. 



On the other hand, a very fine example of the blue striped, or 

 L. mixtus, type, which we were successful in keeping for several 

 months, gradually faded as November ran its course. From being 

 the gay coloured Cuckoo fish, its bright blue and purple streaks and 

 bands slowly paled till in parts they were all but lost. At the same 

 time two distinct black patches appeared on the back just in front of 

 the tail fin. One was situated a little behind the dorsal fin, the 

 other a little in front and spreading slightly on to the membrane of 

 the fin. Trace too of a third spot could be made out about an 

 inch in front of the last mentioned. 



It is difficult without the help of coloured plates to show the 

 full cogency of these abnormal colourings, but what I have stated 

 will suffice to finally prove the good grounds of Dr. Glinther's 

 surmise — a surmise, which in common justice, I must however say, 

 had been years ago anticipated by the Jersey fishermen, who have 

 been, from time immemorial, in the habit of applying the term 

 '' coucou " indiscriminately to both the L. mixtus and the L. tri- 

 maculatus type ; the term " Le Roi " (ut sup.) applied to the former, 

 being only used by the more particular of the fishers. 



We may therefore count these two colours as representing res- 

 pectively the male and the female of one species — for which the 

 name L. mixtus, L. will be the more appropriate cognomen to retain. 



Dissection has also shown the sexual organs to conform to this 

 view. 



