614 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [16] 



ee. Form of body regularly elliptical, the back and belly somewhat evenly 

 curved, the depth greater than the length of the head and 

 more than one-third the length to base of caudal ; no black 

 spot on pectoral or front of spinous dorsal ; the caudal spot 

 small and on the median line. 



h. [Scales comparatively small, 4^-35 to 38-11 ; scales on check large, 

 in two series ; snout 3 in head ; eye about 5 ; a large, blue-black 

 spot on last spines and first soft rays of dorsal, a smaller one 

 on base of last soft ray, another on middle of caudal ; a dark 

 streak across base of pectoral; sides of body with dark cross- 

 shades, especially in the young ; male with shining blue spots ; 

 snout with bright-colored streaks ; preopercle strongly serrate ; 

 head 3£in length; depth about 3; D. XIV, 10; A. Ill, 10.] 

 (Steindachner) Pirca, 16. 



hh. Scales comparatively large, 3^-31-11; scales on cheeks small, in three 

 or four series ; snout 3£ in head (2| in the adult) ; eye 5 to G ; 

 color olivaceous, with longitudinal streaks in life ; back with 

 five obscure dark cross-bands, which usually extend as two or 

 three blotches on the dorsal fin ; one of these usually larger and 

 more distinct than the others ; a small dark spot usually pres- 

 ent on middle of base of caudal ; base of pectoral with a curved, 

 bluish streak, sometimes obsolete; some specimens (males?) 

 with curved, inky streaks on head, and numerous, irregular 

 dark spots sprinkled over the body ; others (females ?) nearly 

 plain; usually a dark area on preorbital and on preopercle ; 

 sometimes a curved streak from eye to chin ; vent dark ; head 

 3£ in length; depth 2|; D. XV, 9; A., Ill, 9.. ..Ocellaris, 17. 

 xx. Opercle with a large jet-black blotch, bordered with whitish, 

 and nearly as large as eye ; usually a small dark spot at base 

 of caudal; sides sometimes with two or three silvery bands; 

 usually three brownish blotches along base of dorsal extending 

 on the fin and two on anal; vent pale; body elongate-ellip- 

 tical; the head rather low, with concave profile and short 

 sharp snout (approaching somewhat the form seen in S. scina) ; 

 snout 3£ in head ; eye 5; head 3; depth 3; D. XIV, 10; A. Ill, 



9; scales 3-33-10 Ocellatus, 18. 



aa. Head notably long and low, its depth at center of eye scarcely half its length and 

 scarcely more than length of snout ; premaxillaries extremely 

 protractile, the length of their posterior processes, from tip of 

 upper jaw, more than one-third length of head (Symphodus 

 Raf.= Coricus Cuvier). 

 i. Scales 3-30-11 ; scaly part of cheek not so broad as eye and with 

 three rows of small scales ; snout very long, 2$ in head, the 

 anterior profile being considerably concave ; body much com- 

 pressed, the back elevated; color greenish, with many brown 

 dots and marblings; brown band from snout through eye to 

 middle of sides ; vent black; a faint blackish spot at base of 

 caudal ; a black spot anteriorly on dorsal fin ; dorsal fin with 

 brown dots ; a blackish blotch on the first two or three spines ; 

 caudal dusky ; anal with a dusky shade ; head 3 ; depth 3 ; D. 

 XV, 10; A. Ill, 9; scales 3-30-11 Scina, 19. 



The use of the above key may, perhaps, be facilitated by the follow- 

 ing table of the usual diagnostic marks of the species of Symphodus : 



Mediterraneus : Large inky blotch on base of pectoral ; large dark blotch on upper 

 part of caudal peduncle; caudal speckled. 



