BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
2.‘S0 
edges; preopercle strongly toothed, with a strong rugose toothed sharp or blunt spine at the angle, this 
spine varying much in different individuals; lower edge of opercle toothed. 
Another example was bright red in life, mottled with silvery white; dark red color forming about 
6 vertical bars on side of back alternating with fainter bars; dorsal and caudal rosy, spotted with blood 
red, spots small, smallest and most distinct on caudal; pectoral and ventrals rosy; iris without dark 
spots or dark shading; ins and jaws deep red. In some examples the dark spots are large. 
Color in alcohol, plain yellowish white, dusky above, silvery below, fins all yellowish white; 
spinous dorsal somewhat dusky; soft dorsal, anal and caudal with numerous small dark (blood red) 
spots on the membranes, their edges narrowly black. 
The above description taken chiefly from a specimen (No. 03166) 10.5 inches long from Honolulu. 
Color in life (note by Ilr. Jenkins), head and body made up of mottlings of bright red and white; 
iris white with bright red blotches; dorsal mottled with red and white and covered on posterior por- 
tion with more or less distinct red; anal similar in color to dorsal; caudal red with rows of distinct 
darker red spots on membranes; pectoral pale red; ventral white, with red mottlings; inside of mouth 
white, with bright red blotches. 
Color in life (Porto Rican specimens), body silvery, washed with rosy; back with 5 or 6 saddle- 
like blotches extending on side to below lateral line; under parts rosy; vertical fins with pale bases, 
brighter distally; caudal black-edged; pectoral and ventral rosy, the ventrals black-tipped. 
Fig. 91 .—Pricicanthus crucntatus (Lac*6pede). 
AVe have compared our numerous specimens with others from the Galapagos and West Indies and 
can detect no differences. The Pacific species, 1‘. carolinus, can not be distinguished from the West 
Indian species, I', eruentatus. 
This is a species of wide distribution, having been recorded from St. Helena and the Canaries, the 
West Indies, the Galapagos, and the Hawaiian Islands. In the West Indies it is known as ojon, ojudo, 
and catalufa. Among the English-speaking people it is called big-eye. Streets says of the young: 
“ During the month of September, 1873, an immense shoal of the young of this species entered 
the harbor of Honolulu. The largest of them did not exceed 31 inches in length. This shoaling, we 
were told, has occurred a number of times, but at uncertain intervals. The coming of the ‘red-fish,’ 
as they are called, foreshadows in the. minds of the simple natives the sickness and death of some 
member of the royal family; and, on account of the pliant disposition of the Kanakas, the prophecy 
is usually fulfilled. But the fish are by no means unwelcome visitants to the common people, who 
are busy catching them night and day as long as they remain. They are dried and eaten without 
cooking.” 
This fish seems to be very abundant among the Hawaiian Islands and is represented in our col¬ 
lections by a fine series of 33 specimens, ranging in length from 4 to 11.75 inches; of these, 7 were 
