68 LORD HOWE ISLAND. 



this is a much narrower and more indistinct band of similar blotches ; the 

 fins are pale yellow, with a small round black spot on the two penultimate 

 rays of the dorsal and anal. 



I have a single immature specimen only of this species, but the colors are 

 so different from those ordinarily found in this genus that I am compelled 

 to describe it as new. Eegister number, I. 1938. 



STETHOJULIS, Giinther. 



Stethojulis axillaris, Quoy fy Gaim. 



A single small example was taken from a rock-pool by Mr. Etheridge's 

 party. 



PLATrGLOSSUS, Giinther. 



PLATYGLOSSUS PSErDOMINIATUS, Blk. 



A single specimen, collected by Mr. Saunders, and measuring four and a 

 half inches, seems to belong to this species. 



Platyglossus trimaculatus, Quoy Sf Gaim. 



A number of examples, of from five to seven inches in length, were 

 obtained by Mr. Saunders from pools on the reefs where they are common. 



JULIS, Cm. Sf Yah 

 Julis luisaris, Linn., sp. 



Abundant in the larger pools on the reefs, where it grows to at least ten 

 inches in length, but is not used as food so far as I can ascertain. 



Jtjlis trilobata, Lacep., sp. 



Not uncommon, and taken principally by means of lines on rocky ground 

 off shore, but small examples may occasionally be found in pools left 

 uncovered by the lowest tides ; they grow to eighteen inches in length, and 

 are used, but not esteemed, as food. 



COEIS, Lacepede. 

 Coeis aygula, Lacep. 



The colors of these fishes vary so greatly with age, and no doubt also 

 with their surroundings, that when the size of the scales and the comparative 

 measurements * are found to differ but little in individuals from the same 

 locality, it seems to me unnecessary and unscientific to describe such as new 

 species from the mere fact of this variance. I have therefore decided to 

 content myself with giving the life-colors of the five specimens which I 

 have determined as belonging to this species, in the hope that such a course 

 will tend to elucidate the life-history of this remarkable Labroid, and 

 perhaps throw some light on the causes, the outcome of which is the varia- 

 tion here recorded. This is as follows : — 



Nos. 1 & 2 are adult specimens, measuring respectively twenty-three and 

 twenty-eight inches ; the body and head are very dark purple, while the fins 

 are violet, and the head is furnished with a prominent bony knob on the 

 occiput, similar to that which is found on the adult Schnapper (Pagrus 

 unicolor). 



* All Ichthyologists -will of course make allowance for the great differences which occur 

 almost invariably in the measurements of the young and adult stages of the same fish. 



