lilLliKUT ANU STAUKS — FISUES Ul' I'ANAMA BAY lU'J 



201. Brachydeuterus nitidus (Steinchichner). 



Four specimens taken. Tliey agree with Dr. Steindachiier's description in 

 most particulars. 



Head 3 to 3] in lenj^th without caudal; snout 3 to 3', in head; eye 4 to li; 

 iriterorbital (hone) 5. Scales 48 to 50. Two of our specimens have anal rays, one 

 has 14 dorsal rays; the others have 8 anal and 15 dorsal rays. The upper lohe of 

 the caudal is consi)icuously longer than the lower lobe. 



202. Brachydeuterus leuciscus {(1 anther). 



Very abundant; the young aii.l lialf-grown specimens exhii)it the same bewild- 

 ering variety of form and general appearance for which I he species is noted in other 

 parts of its range. Compared with adults, the young appear much slenderer, with 

 longer sharper snout, smaller moutli, and less arched frontal regi<m. The preorbital 

 usually appears much wider; but in all these respects there is wide variation among 

 young of the same size. It reaches the length of 31 cm.; adults vary little in appear- 

 ance, and approach nearly the even contour of Poiiiailasi)i 2}anamensis. The pectoral 

 is never falcate, and eipials the distance from tip of snout to upper preopercular 

 margin. 



203. Pomadasis panamensis (Sieindachner). 



This species was very abundant at Panama. Our material shows few varia- 

 tions from Dr. Steindachner's description. 



Eye 4;i to Oj in head; interorbital 4.1 to 5; second anal npine 2.^ to 2'^. 'i'he 

 maxillary reaches a vertical from (he anierinr margin, or the anterior third, of the 

 |)upil. Dr. Steindachner's statement that the tliird dorsal spine is from 2 to 2J times 

 as long as the second is doubtless a slip of the pen. The third dorsal spine in our 

 specimens varies from 3 to 3i times the length of the second. 



204. Pomadasis bayanus Jordan £ Evermann. 



Pristipoma hiimilc Knkr & Sieind.vchnkk, 1S64, p. 222, PI. I, fig. i. Siki.nd.vciiner, 1879 a, 



p. 33. Not Pristipoma humilis BowniCH. 

 Pomadasis baya7ius ]ov.n\N Sl Evermann, 1898, p. 1331. 



One specimen, 36 cm. long, was taken in the Rio Grande River, at ]\IiraHores, 

 a point above tide-level, where the water is perfectly fresh. A small specimen is in 

 the museum of Stanford University, collected at San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, by 

 Mr. .]. F. Abbott. Tiie records do not show whether this specimen was taken in the 

 river at San Jose, or in the sea. 



Tlie species is very close to P. crocro, agreeing with it in general shape and 

 color, and in tin and scale formulie. Both species have normally 13 dorsal spines. 

 P. bayanus has a longer snout, larger mouth and shorter second anal spine. The 

 latter varies greatly with age. In our smaller specimen, it reaches far beyond the 

 tip of the soft rays, to the base of the anal, and is contained 4 times in the length; in 

 the larger specimen, it fails to reach the tip of anal rays, and is contained (>.\ times 



. jg , NovembcT 30, 1903. 



