the lateral line are rough, but those above it, as well as those on the belly, nearly sm ooth:
one taken from the middle o f the side is of an oblong form, rounded at the free extremity,
which is finely dotted and ciliated; its whole surface finely striated, with nine or ten deeper
stri® at the base. The pectorals are attached low down, rounded a t the extremity, and about
half the length of the head. The dorsal commences immediately above them , and is tolerably
even throughout its course, extending nearly to the caudal. The membrane is rather deeply
notched between the spines, which are very stout and invested at their tips with m embranaceous
tags, as in the Labrid<s. The first spine is only half the length of the second and third ;
the fourth is a little the longest, equalling two-fifths o f the depth of the body; the fifth and
succeeding ones decrease very gradually to the tentli, which is rather move than half the length
of the fo u rth ; the eleventh is a little longer, and is followed by the soft rays, the longest of
which is about equal to the longest of the spinous. The anal commences about in a line with
the second soft ray in the dorsal, and terminates before that fin, leaving double the distance
between it and the caudal; first spine not half the length of the second and third, which are
about equal, and much stouter; soft portion of the fin of a rounded form, with the middle rays
nearly double the length of the second and third spines. Caudal even, or very slightly rounded,
without any rows of scales between the rays. Ventrals a little shorter than the pectorals, immediately
beneath them, pointed.
Colour.— “ Mottled with brown-yellow, black and w h ite: upper and lower edges of the caudal,
edges of the dorsal and anal, ‘ arterial’ and purplish red.”— D.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago.
Obtained off Chatlmm Island in the Galapagos Archipelago. There can be
little doubt of its being an undescribed species, well characterized by its labriform
appearance, as regards the fins, rounded and nearly entire margin of the preopercle,,
and scales smooth above, but rough beneath the lateral line.
5 . S e r k .^n u s o l f a x . Jen.
P l a t e IV.
S. fusco-variatus ; spinis dorsalibus ad apices laciniis investitis ; naribus orbiculatis,
aperturd unica magná, duas minores includenti ; dentibus acideiformibus, retroflexis,
seriebus paucis ; caninis, in maxillá superioi'e duobus, in inferiore quatuor, cceteris
vix foriioribus ; preopercxdo margine adscendenti prope recto, versum angulum pau-
lum sinuato, vix denticidato ; operculo mucronibus duobus, pai-vis, subcequalihus,
armato ; squamis ubique líBvibus.
B. 7; D. 11/38; A. 3/11 ; C. 17, &c. ; P . 17; V. 1/5.
L o n g . u n c . 2 3 L
F orm.—R ather elongated, with the dorsal and ventral lines equally curved, and neither departing mucli
from a straight Ime. D epth, in the region o f the pectorals, equalling rather more than one