[6*3] REVIEW OF THE LABROID FISHES. 661 



Novacula cultrata Giiutlier, iv, 169, 1862 (Naples; Madeira; Lanzarote; Caribbean 



Sea; Babia ; Soutb Africa). 

 Xyrichthys vermiculatus Poey, Mem., ii, 215, 1860; Poey, Repert. ii, 238, 1862; Poey, 



Synopsis, 336, 1868; Poey, Enumeratio, 110, 1875 (Havana); Jordan & 



Gilbert, Syn. Fisbes N. Am., 605, 1883 (Key West) ; Bean, Bull. Fisb Com., 



1888, 202. 

 Xyrichthys venustus Poey, Enumeratio, 110, 1875 (Havana) (after X. lineatus C. & V.); 



Bean, Bull. U. S. Fish Com., 1888, 200 (Cozumel). 



Habitat — Mediterranean and West Indian fauna, north to Fensacola 

 and Charleston. 



Etymology : Novacula, razor. 



We have compared numerous specimens from Pensacola and 

 Charleston, with all the descriptions available of the Mediterranean 

 species, and can find no difference whatever. These Charleston speci- 

 mens seem to represent the psittacus of Linnaeus and the lineata of 

 Gmelin. The vermiculatus of Poey seems to be the same, as is also, in 

 my opinion, his venustus (lineatus C. & V.). The white peritoneal blotch 

 of venustus is evident on some of our specimens and not on others. If 

 the above synonymy be correct, this razor-fish has a distribution unusu- 

 ally wide for a Labroid. Since the above was written. Dr. Bean has 

 published an account of the American species of this genus. While 

 recognizing the close relation of the forms in question, he admits pro- 

 visionally X. psittacus and X. vermiculatus as species distinct from the 

 common form, for which he retains the name of A", venustus. As, how- 

 ever, the types of X. psittacus came from Charleston, they belong, prob- 

 ably, to the species with the pale lateral blotch, the only species yet 

 found in that region. 



74. XYRICHTHYS MODESTUS. 



Xyrichthys modesties Poey, Repert. Fis. Nat. Cuba, ii, 238, 1867 ; Poey, Synopsis, 336, 

 1868; Poey, Enumeratio, 110, 1875 (Havana). 



Habitat. — West Indies. 

 Etymology : Modestus, modest. 



This species is known from Poey's description only. It seems very 

 close to X. novacula, of which it is probably a color variety. 



Genus XXIII.— INIISTIUS. 



Iniistius Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, 143 (pavo). 

 Xyrichthys Bleeker, Atlas Ichth., 1862, 149 (pavo) (not of Cuvier). 



Type : Xyrichthys pavo Cuv. & Val. 



Etymology: "hioy, nape; lariov, sail, in allusion to the first dorsal fin 

 on the nape. 



This genus contains some five or six species, chiefly of the western 

 Pacific. They are similar in most respects to the typical species of 

 Xyrichthys, differing only in having the two anterior species of the dorsal 

 fin produced, separated from the others, and placed farther forward 

 than in Xyrichthys, on the occipital region. Very close to Iniistius is 



