165 



BLUE-FINNED CENTRARCHUS. 



CmtrarchVfS ? cyanopterus. 



PLATE XVI. 



Macusi, Camarapaca ; L. Geral, Acara Tinga (" Tinga" is 

 Stinking). Schomb. Drawings, No. 1 9. 



We place this fish with Centrarchus^ as appearing 

 nearer to it than any other ; though we are by no 

 means satisfied that it will stand here ; there ap- 

 pear to be only three spines to the anal fin. " This 

 fish is a native of the Essequibo, and is drawn of 

 the natural size ; the colour light green, varying to 

 blue on the side, and dull rose on the belly; the 

 eye is large, yellow, and red, and situate near the 

 top of the head; the gill-lid scaled, with smooth 

 edges and edged with rose colour ; pectoral fins rose ; 

 ventral, placed under the pectoral, blue spotted with 

 brown ; dorsal and caudal ditto ; anal blue spotted 

 with rose ; the jaws are equal ; lips fleshy ; teeth 

 fine single rows ; lateral line divided. They live an 

 hour after being taken from the water, take bait, and 

 prefer creeks and still waters to the fast running 

 streams. Great numbers of them are annually de- 

 stroyed, together with other fish, by poisoning their 

 resorts when the rivers are low. Of this species I 



