518 EIGENMANN— ORIGIN OF FISHES OF THE 



noticed in a creek bottom along the railroad toward La Serena. At 

 La Serena a considerable stream empties into the ocean. But 

 one native species of fish was found north of La Serena. Cheiro- 

 don pisciculus, a small fish, was taken at Vallenar. Copiapo con- 

 tained only introduced gold fish. I was told peje rey occur near the 

 mouth of the Rio Copiapo. This is quite likely. It. is very probable 

 that Pygidium occurs in the mountain streams all through this region. 

 At La Serena two species of peje rey, Basilichthys microlepidotus 

 and Cauque hrcvianalis, were taken with gold fish, German carp and 

 lizas or Mugil. 



At Choapa where another small stream passes, I caught the 

 common northern peje rey and the common catfish or bagrecito, 

 Pygidium areolatum. The region between Copiapo and La Calera 

 on the Rio Aconcagua is abundantly supplied with valleys and river 

 courses, all the apparatus to take care of a large amount of water. 

 No doubt the region at one time not far remote took care of an 

 abundant rainfall. At present, the water supply is inadequate for 

 the facilities to convey it to the ocean. The fishes in this area, 

 very limited in species, must all be looked upon as relicts, leftovers 

 as the streams in which they occur are leftovers from a former 

 very different condition. 



In Paradise Valley, " Valparaiso," we are in the region of per- 

 manent streams which increase in size southward to the Bio Bio. 



There are a few small lakes- in many of the river basins from 

 the north to the Bio Bio (Plate X.). 



With the Rio Tolten in latitude 39° begins a series of large lakes 

 which reach to Puerto Montt. In great contrast to the north, south 

 central Chili is very well watered indeed. 



The Nature and Distribution of the Fish-fauna. 



The number of fishes inhabiting the rivers of Chili is dispro- 

 portionately small. The fauna is distinctly Patagonian. Several 

 species, however, are confined to Chili. 



Six species of lampreys ascend the rivers of central Chili to 

 spawn. They are reported to occur at times in vast numbers. I 

 secured several hundred larv?e in a short time from mud and sand 



