132 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
snout short, blunt; eye moderately large, impinging upon the upper profile; maxillary small, reach- 
ing to the anterior margin of the eye; teeth small, villose, the. mandible projecting and pointed; nasal 
cavity small, and with a small fleshy flap over nostril; interorbital space broad and flattened; gillrakers 
fine, slender, and rather numerous; peritoneum pale or grayish, with rather dark dots or spots; scales 
large, cycloid; lateral line running low along the lower part of side and also lower portion of caudal 
peduncle to base of caudal fin; dorsal very long, the median rays the longest, the edge of the fin 
rounded and when depressed reaching angle in emargination of caudal fin; origin of dorsal a little in 
advance of that of anal, or about midway between base of pectoral and tip of upper caudal lobe; anal 
rather low, the rays not prolonged; caudal deeply forked, the lower lobe much longer than the upper; 
pectoral very long, reaching the first third of base of dorsal; ventrals long, reaching below second and 
third anal rays. 
Color when fresh (No. 03418) with the upper portion of body dark ultramarine blue, the lower 
surface silvery white; dorsal blue, except a large blackish blotch on the upper marginal portion; pos- 
terior half of caudal blue; pectoral transparent with a rosy tinge; margin of ventral red, or the color 
on the first, second, third, and fourth rays rosy above. 
This description from an example (No. 03418) 6.5 inches long from Honolulu. 
Our collections from Honolulu contain 29 examples of this species (7 of them numbered 02953 to 
02958, and 03418), and 2 specimens obtained at Hilo. Dr. Jenkins obtained 8 specimens at Honolulu 
in 1889; 2 of these are numbered 150 and 211; 2 other examples (No. 6010) were obtained by Dr. 
Wood. Specimens were obtained by the Albatross at station 3829 off the southern coast of Molokai. 
These numerous specimens are almost uniformly 7 inches in total length, which seems to be about 
the maximum size of this species. 
This flying fish is apparently the most abundant species among the Hawaiian Islands. Early in 
June numerous schools were seen near and in the harbor of Honolulu, and it continued a common fish 
in the Honolulu market during the summer. 
Exocoetus brachypterus Solander in Richardson, Iehth. China, 2C5, 1846, Otaheite; Gunther, Cat., VI, 280, 1866 (China Seas); 
Streets, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 7, 75, 1877 (Hawaiian Islands); Steindachner, Denks. Ak. Wiss. Wien, LXX, 1900, 
512 (Honolulu and Laysan). 
Exocoetus hillianus, Gosse, Nat. Sojourn in Jamaica, II, 11, PI. I, fig. 1, 1851 (Jamaica); Ltitken, Vid. Medd. Natur. Foren., 
397, 1876 (Atlantic; Antilles; Honolulu). 
Parexoccetiis mesogaster, Jordan & Meek, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1885, 47 (Hawaiian Islands); Jordan & Evermann, Fishes 
North & Mid. Amer., 1, 728, 1896; Fowler, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1900, 500 (Hawaiian Islands); (probably not 
Exoccetus mesogaster of Bloch. ). 
Parexoccetus brachyterus, Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 (Sept. 23, 1903), 435 (Honolulu); Snyder, op. cit. (Jan. 
19, 1904), 522 (off southern coast of Molokai) . 
Genus 77. EXOCCETUS Linnaeus. 
This genus is characterized mainly by the short ventrals which are anteriorly placed and terminate 
in advance of the anal fin, not being used as organs of flight; pectoral fins very long; no teeth on 
palate. Open seas. 
Exocostus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., Ed. X, 316, 1758 (volitans). 
Halocypselus Weinland, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., VI, 1858, 385 (mesogaster=evolans— volitans). 
91. Exoccetus volitans Linnaeus. “Malolo.” Fig. 45. 
Head 4.25 in length; depth 4.88; D. 12; A. 12; P. 15; V. 6; scales about 42 to base of caudal, 10 
scales in a transverse series; head a little deeper than wide; snout 4.5 in head; eye 3.67, 1.67 in post- 
ocular part of head, 1.3 in interorbital space; ventral 1.75 in head; base of dorsal 1.2; base of anal 1.2. 
Body elongate, the sides compressed and flattened; head subconic, blunt; snout very obtuse, short, 
rounded; eye anterior, the posterior margin about the middle of the head; mouth very oblique, superior, 
the maxillary not reaching the eye, the mandible projecting and the jaws forming a thin, horny, cutting 
edge; small teeth on vomer; tongue flattened, moderately broad,' rounded and free; nasal cavity 
moderate, above the eye in front, and with a small thick flap; interorbital space broad, only very 
slight ly convex; gillrakers slender, rather numerous and not quite half the eye; peritoneum pale; scales 
large, cycloid, head scaled; lateral line running low and stopping short behind anal fin; origin of dorsal 
nearer base of pectoral than tip of upper caudal lobe, and a trifle behind origin of anal; anterior dorsal 
