NOTES ON FISHES COLEECTED IN THE TORTUGAS ARCHIPELAGO. 
By DAVID STARR JORDAN. 
Dr. Joseph C. Thompson, United States naval surgeon, formerly stationed at 
Fort Jefferson, on Garden Key, one of the outlying archipelago of coral islands known 
as the Dry Tortugas, has sent to us a very interesting collect-ion of small fishes from 
the coral reefs. Of the 21 species, 4 are new to science and 8 others are new to the 
waters of the United States. Series of these species are in the U. S. National Museum 
and U. S. Fish Commission; the others are in the collection of Stanford University. 
The accompanying drawings are by Mr. Kako Morita. 
Family SPHYRTNIDT. 
Sphyrsena barracuda (Walbaum). 
One specimen, very young, of the common large-scaled barracuda or picuda. 
Family HOLOCENTRIDJi. 
Holocentrus siccifer (Cope). 
Holocentrum siceiferum Cope, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc., xiv, n. s., 1871 (Dec.), 465, New Providence, Bahamas. 
One tine specimen, the only one known except the original type, which came from New Providence. 
It agrees well with Professor Cope’s description. 
Depth 2.75 in length; head 3; mouth small; last dorsal spine very short, scarcely visible; third 
anal spine moderate, 1.5 in head; scales 45; opercle with two subequal spines, little divergent; pre- 
opercular spine short; dorsal spines low, 2.33 to 2.5 in head; soft dorsal 1.75 in head; maxillary rather 
less than eye, 3.33 in head; head broad above, with short snout. 
Color in spirits, violet-silvery above, soiled silvery on sides, silvery below; 9 lengthwise streaks on 
side, along the rows of scales, 4 of them dark purple, the other 5 yellowish and marked by many dark 
points, giving a soiled appearance, the 2 uppermost of these broader than the others; axil with a 
jet-black spot; head plain, dotted with black; a little black on tip of opercle; spinous dorsal with a 
dusky area toward the base of each membrane, a dusky cross shade toward tip; membranes of first two 
spines largely jet-black with a white streak below and one above, forming an ocellate black blotch, 
continuous with the dusky median shade of the fin; soft dorsal and all other fins pale, doubtless red 
in life, with no dark edgings. 
The low fins, small scales, striped body, and dusky spinous dorsal with an ocellate black area in 
front, well distinguish this pretty species. 
Family APOGONIDT. 
Apogon sellicauda Evermann & Marsh. 
Apogon sellicauda Evermann & Marsh, Fishes of Porto Rico, p. 143, fig. 40, 1900 (Dec. 29). 
One very fine specimen, about 3 inches long, twice as long as the type, from Culebra Island, Porto 
Rico, agrees closely with the figure. The black dorsal blotch is larger, extending on the base of the 
fin; a faint dusky area in front of dorsal; the caudal saddle and the opercular blotch are about as in 
Evermann’s figure. Body and fins uniform bright scarlet. Both edges of preopercle finely serrated. 
Family SCI^NID^. 
Eques pulcher (Steindachner). 
One fine specimen, about 3 inches long. Olivaceous; three black, ribbon-like stripes along the side, 
the middle one reaching to end of dorsal and extending forward to eye and across forehead between 
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