Chironectes rubro-fuscus Garrett.
D. 3-13; A. 9; V. 6; P. 11; C. 9.
A single example of this species now before me has been preserved in spirits several years. It is in fine condition, though the colors are much faded. The general shape is oblong-oval, and much compressed. The thickness at the base of the head enters about five and a half times in the total length. The whole surface is covered with crowded minute hispid asperities, and very small, remote, cutaneous, tuft-like appendages. The head, as viewed in profile, is irregularly rounded, the chin forming the anterior end, being slightly in advance of the mouth. The eyes are exceedingly small, elliptically oval in shape, their greatest diameter being only three-twentieths of an inch. Their distance from the margin of the upper jaw is five times their own length. The mouth is vertical. On the top of the snout, midway between the eyes and the end of the upper jaw, is a long setaceous appendage, articulated to a tubercle, and tufted at the end. On the cranium there are two stout, curved processes, which project posteriorly, the hind one the largest, and both enveloped in the integuments. The dorsal fin takes its origin at a point corresponding to the middle of the total length of the fish, caudal exclusive. Its height equals the length of its own base. The caudal trunk and fin are slightly oblique to the horizontal axis of the body. The anal fin is small and rounded off along its outer margin. The rays in all the fins have their ends slightly prolonged in little fleshy points. The color, as noted from the living fish, is dark red, with irregular, cloud-like markings and spots, dusky gray. Everywhere maculated with small, irregular, dusky spots, which are the most numerous on the belly. A few deep black maculations on the vertical fins and scattering ones on the body. The interior of the mouth and tongue are mottled with red and white. Irides pale flesh color; cornea black. The smooth inner surfaces of the pectoral and ventral fins are intensely red.
Length, 8½ inches.
Habitat, Sandwich Islands.
Remarks.—This fine large species is very rare. As compared with the C. leprosus from the same location, it is much larger, more compressed, the eyes much smaller and the ground color is quite different. In the leporina the eyes are less than twice their own diameter distant from the anterior margin of the upper jaw. In our fish they are five diameters distant from the same point.
Chætodon L.
Chætodon multicinctus Garrett.
D. 13-24; A. 3-19; V. 1-5; P. 14; C. 3, 1, 8, 7, 1, 2.
Form oval. The head enters about four and a half times in the total length. The upper line of profile from the snout to the dorsal fin is nearly straight, rising at an angle of 60°. The snout is short. The eye is large, circular, its diameter one-third of the length of the head, and placed just midway between the opercular corner and the end of the snout. The preopercular margin exhibits a few small dentations. The scales are moderate size.