23 FISHES OF SINALOA. 395 



of this condition, and that the species referred to it should 

 be arranged in other groups. 



A.s the dentition of the typical species of Galeichthys 

 agrees in essential respects with that of Hexanematichthys, 

 we unite the two groups under the earlier name. Galeich- 

 thys. 



25. Galeichthys gilberti Jordan & Williams, n. sp. 

 B \i.ki-: Blanco. Plate xxvi. 



Extremely abundanl in the upper part of the Astillero, 

 along sandv hottoms, exceeding by far in numbers all 

 other cat fishes. Also found by Gilbert at Mazatlan, 

 whence it was erroneously recorded by Jordan & Gilbert 

 as Arius assimilis Giinther. Large numbers of this 

 species are left on the beach alter seining, and the various 

 sea birds, pelicans, man-of-war birds, gulls and the like, 

 come down to take possession of them. In two cases 

 specimens of this cat-fish were swallowed by pelicans ; 

 the spines were erected after the fish was partly engorged, 

 and these spines entering the skin of the sack of the 

 pelican, made it impossible for the bird to swallow them 

 or to dislodge them. Considerable numbers of pelicans 

 are doubtless destroyed every year by attempting to 

 swallow living cat-fish which have been left by the fisher- 

 men. 



The following description is essentially that of Jordan 

 & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, under the name 

 of Arius assimilis. The type of that description, 29,213 

 U. S. N. M., from Mazatlan, coll., Gilbert, maybe taken 

 as the special type of the species, numerous co-types 

 (numbered 1666, 1667 and 1668, L. S. Jr. Mus.), having 

 been sent by us to different museums : 



Head, 3^ to 4; width of head, 5^: depth, 5; D. I. 7; 

 A. 4, 14. 



