1903.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 737 



No pectoral flap. Ventrals with rather broad scales between bases, 

 and each with short basal scaly flap. 



Origin of spinous dorsal well behind that of anal, or much nearer 

 tip of snout than tip of caudal, small, spines weak, and when depressed 

 reaching nearly f of distance to soft dorsal. Soft dorsal inserted a 

 little nearer base of caudal than origin of ventral, first ray undivided 

 and longest. Anal inserted a little nearer base of caudal than tip of 

 snout, base long, and base of last ray distant from base of caudal more 

 than half of length of base of fin itself. Extending posteriorly beyond 

 base of last dorsal ray, anterior rays elongate and first longest. Caudal 

 rather long, emarginate, and both lobes apparently sharp-pointed. 

 Pectoral long, falcate, sharp-pointed, and falling a little short of tip 

 of ventral. \'entral small, united posteriorly, and reaching almost to 

 origin of anal. Anus placed a little before tips of ventrals. 



Color in alcohol pale straw-])rown. A few. of scales along dorsal 

 surface sprinkled with brown dots. Lower surface more or less pale sil- 

 very. A broad silvery-lead-colorecl band as wide as pupil extending 

 from axil of pectoral to base of caudal. Upper edge of band more or 

 less dark. Dorsal and caudal grayish-brown. Peritoneum brownish. 



Length 2yV inches. 



One example. Nicaragua. Dr. J. F. Bransford. Probably one 

 of the examples recorded by Drs. Gill and Bransford. 



Subfamily Atherinopsiinae. 



Premaxillaries not freely protractile, the skin continuous mesially 

 with forehead. 



PROTISTIUS Cope. 



Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1874, p. 66 (semotilus). 



Teeth simple, pointed, in bands in jaws, and also present on vomer. 

 A single small dorsal spine. 



This genus was first provisionally referred to the Mugilidce by Cope, 



which was certainly in better propinquity than his final attempt tO' 



nicrge it in the '^Cyprinodontidce." 



Protistius semotilus Cope. Plate XLIV. 



L.c. Some portion of the Peruvian Andes, from an elevation of twelve 

 thousand feet. 



Head 4; depth about 5; D. I-I, 10; A. I, 13; P. i, I, 15; V. I, 5; 



about 75 scales to base of caudal in lateral series; width of head If in 

 its length; snout 3; eye about 5; maxillary about 2|; interorbital 

 space 2f ; pectoral If; ventral 2; least depth of caudal peduncle 2f. 

 Snout projecting a little beyond mandible. Teeth rather elongate, 

 47 



