662 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [64] 



the East Indian genus, Hemipteronotus Lacepede (Novacula Gill, not 

 Cuvier), whicb differs only in having scales upon the cheeks. It is not 

 unlikely that it will be found necessary to unite Iniistius, Hemipteronotus, 

 Xyrichthys, and Xyrula into one genus, as Giinther has done. In this 

 case, the name to be used is Hemipteronotus, not Novacula, nor Xyrich- 

 thys. 



ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN SPECIES OF INIISTIUS. 



a. Body deep, compressed, the profile very steep ; anterior dorsal fin very high, the 

 longest spine about 1£ in head and 4| in body ; height of head equal to its length ; 

 eye small, 7 in head; anterior profile steep. Color of male, olivaceous, whitish be- 

 low; three broad bars of dark olive on the back and sides, these bars nearly as 

 wide as the interspaces ; most of the scales of the back and sides with a vertical, 

 light bluish stripe ; in the middle of the first dark band are one or two scales of 

 a diflerent color, the posterior half of each jet black, the base light blue ; dorsal 

 with narrow dark stripes running obliquely downward and backward ; anal pale ; 

 a conspicuous light horizontal stripe near the tips of the rays ; a narrower similar 

 stripe near the middle of the fin ; bluish clouds on opercle ; vertical pale blue 

 stripes below eye, a faint dusky streak below eye ; female paler, plain, yellowish 

 or brownish ; dorsal with several oblique bars between its rays ; scales 24 or 25. 



Mundicorpus, 75. 



INIISTIUS MUNDICORPUS. 



Iniistius mundicorpus Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1802, 145 (Cape San Lucas). 

 Novacula mundicorpus Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 367 (Cape San Lucas); 

 Jordan, 1. c, 1885, 384 (Cape San Lucas). 



Habitat. — Pacific coast of Mexico. 



Etymology : Mtmdus, neat ; corpus, body. 



The original types of this species (females), and later some other spec- 

 imens, have been sent to the U. S. Nat. Museum from Cape San Lucas. 

 Specimens have also been taken on the west coast of Mexico by Dr. 

 Gilbert. The species much resembles Iniistius pavo, which is found in 

 the Sandwich Islands and southward to Ceylon. Perhaps the two 

 species are identical. 



Genus XXIV.— MALAPTERUS. 



Malapterus Cnv. and Val. xiii, 355, 1839 (rcticulatus). 



Malacopterus Giinther iv, 88, (corrected orthography). 



Neolabrus Steindachner, Ichth. Beitr. n, 19, 1875. ( fenestratus reticulatns). 



Type : Malapterus reticulatus 0. & V. 



Etymology: Malaxdq, soft; ittepov, wing or fin. 



This genus contains a single species, the sole representative so far as 

 known of the subfamily Malapterinw. Judging from the numbers of the 

 fin rays, the number of vertebras will probably be found to be increased 

 as in the Labrince. The pharyngeal teeth have not been described, and 

 it may be that the genus does not belong to the Labridw at all. 



ANALYSIS OP SPECIES OF MALAPTERUS. 



a. [Body elongate ; head acute; numerous scales upon cheeks in four or five rows; 

 opercle with a series of scales upon the margin, these scales heing small and ar- 



