58 



Color. — Adult fishes range from a light-slate color to a deep chest- 

 nut-brown. In some individuals a narrow band of black extends from 

 the tip of the snout to a point between the eyes, where it divides ; the 

 branches extendiug, one to the origin of the dorsal and the other to the 

 angle of the operculum, and upward to unite with the first at the origin 

 of the dorsal. The lips and throat are bright vermiliou. 



A great variation is apparent in the color of different individuals, 

 which has not yet been satisfactorily explained, though it is no doubt 

 due to the depth of water or color of the bottom in the place where they 

 are taken, as is suggested below under Uimeaocntrus punctatus. The 

 fishermen claim that the color of individuals confined in the ponds 

 changes from one extreme to the other within the period of a few weeks. 

 I have myself seen very considerable variation in color in the course of a 

 -week in fishes confined in shallow fish-ponds. The young fish are always 

 slate-color and are also marked with six or seven broad, transverse bands 

 of light brown and a large quadrangular black blotch across the back 

 of the tail behind the dorsal. 



EPINEPHELUS GUTTATUS, {Gmelin) Goodie. 

 Hind. 



f Cugupuguacu, MarcGRAVE, Hist. &c. Bra>il, 1648, 169. — Sloane, Voyage aux lies de 

 Madere, dea Barbados, de St. Christopbe, et de la Jamaiqae, 1727, tab. cexlvii. — 



Cugupuguacu Brazil, Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carolina, Florida, and Bahamas, ii, 1743, 14, 

 tab. xiv (the Hind). 



Perca guttata, Gmelin, Linn.-. Syst. Nat. 1. 1786, 1315 (on a figure by Catesby). — Cuv. 

 & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss. ii, 1826, 372. 



Bodtanua apua, Bloch, Iebtb. vii, 17i>7. 37, tab. ccxxix (on a figure by Priuce Mau- 

 rice).— Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iv. 1803, 29G. 



f Sen-anus apua, CTJV. & Val.. op. cit. 287 (eitiug as a synonym Piratiapia, Mabc- 

 CiRavk. op. cit. 158 . 



Sir ran us apua, GUNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mns. i. 1861,140. 



Bodianua marginatum, Schneldeb, Bloch, Syst. Ichth. 1801, 331. 



Very common ; recorded also from Jamaica, and probably from Bra- 

 zil. The Hind is readily sold in the market, where specimens two feet 

 in length are sometimes seen. 



The name Hind perhaps refers to the spotted markings as similar to 

 those of the deer. The name is found in nearly all the English West 

 Indian islands, applied to the spotted species of this family. 



Color. — Brownish, red, or rosy-white, with numerous small circular 

 spots of deep rose-color, fading to brown in spirits. Vertical fins 

 broadly margined with black. 



