109 FISHES OF SINALOA. 481 



adult. Firsl dorsal bronze with bluish cross-streaks, the 

 large black blotch ocellated with blue and with a patch of 

 bright yellow before and behind it. Interspaces between 

 this and the two other, smaller black spots also bright 

 light yellow . 



180. Halichceres dispilus (Giinther). Plate xlv. 



This beautiful little fish was found to be rather abun- 

 dant in the branches of the Astillero which cross Isla de 

 las Piedras south of Mazatlan. Unlike most species of 

 the group, it lives on the muddy bottoms, and is abundant 

 about the roots of the mangrove, which border the muddy 

 branches of the Astillero. It reaches a length of about 

 six inches. A few specimens were also obtained in tide 

 pools with sandy bottom. 



Head 3^ ; depth 4: dorsal IX, 11; anal III, 12: eye 

 6 in head; snout 3^ ; maxillary 4^ ; pectoral 1^; anal 

 3 ; caudal fin 2. 



Body slender and compressed ; dorsal and ventral outlines 

 similar; head pointed, the profile slightly convex; mouth 

 small, the jaws equal; teeth in a single row; canines fin 

 front of jaws; at the posterior end of the premaxillary is 

 a single strong, sharp tooth, pointing forward, and entirely 

 below the angle of mouth. Lateral line high, following 

 the curve of the back to the eighth dorsal ray, where it 

 curves sharply down through two rows of scales, and then 

 runs straight through middle of caudal peduncle to tail; 

 pores of lateral line simple ; scales large 2—27-10; head 

 entirely naked; gill -rakers very small and pointed 6 -{-7. 

 Dorsal spines slender but pungent; caudal slightly round- 

 ed, the upper angle slightly acute; ventrals short not fila- 

 mentous; scales before dorsal in about six rows, not cov- 

 ering middle line. 



Length of specimen described, five inches. Number 

 2904, L. S. Jr. Univ. Mus. 



