PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 257 



Origin of dorsal flu midway between tip of snout and "base of caudal, 

 or very slightly nearer the latter; the length of its base contained If in 

 head; the upper margin of the fin rounded, the longest ray (in c?) 

 equalling the length of its base. 



Origin of anal fin under middle of dorsal; distance from its origin to 

 base of caudal from four-sevenths ( 9 ) to five-sevenths ( <? ) of distance 

 to top of snout; oviduct not attached to first anal ray, but produced 

 backwards, forming a low sheath on both sides at base of first G rays; 

 length of anal base, two-fifths head; longest ray ((?), one-half head; 

 caudal If in head. Pectorals long, reaching beyond base of ventrals; 

 If in head. Ventrals to slightly beyond vent; 1| in head. 



Head 3.^ in length; depth 3 J. D. 11 or 12; A. 9 or 10; Scales 2(J-8. 



Color (? light olive, pale on belly, sides with some silvery lustre and 

 with indistinct trace of an obsolete dusky lateral stripe; scales con- 

 spicuously dark-edged; opercles and cheeks bright silvery; dorsal and 

 caudal light yellow, and, as well as the anal, narrowly margined with 

 black ; dorsal with an elongate, vertical, black blotch at anterior mar- 

 gin, a yellow spot behind it; a vertical dusky streak behind each dorsal 

 ray, composed of fine black jjoints. Anal orange or translucent, white 

 at base; ventrals similar to anal. Pectorals pale yellowish. A dark 

 vertical streak through iris. 



9 similar, fins all plain. 



Exceedingly abundant in the lagoons at Pensacola. 



26. Gambusia patruelis Girard. N. O. G. 30922. 



Meterandria affinis Baird & Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1853, 390. 

 Gambusia gracilis Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1859, 121. 

 Gamhusia huviilis Giiutber, vi, 335. 



The specimens described are all femAles. 



Body rather slender, compressed, the belly nnich distended with ova, 

 projecting much beyond normal outline of body, and abruptly con- 

 stricted at the vent ; greatest height of caudal peduncle one-third 

 greater than its least height, and three-fourths length of head ; head 

 small, very broad, and much depressed ; teeth strong, in a broad villi- 

 form band in each jaw, the outer series much enlarged, the teeth not 

 movable, straight; eye small, 1| in interorbital width, slightly greater 

 than length of snout, and 3 J to 3.^^ in length of head ; interorbital width 

 1§ in head. 



Intestinal canal short, about equal to length of body. 



Dorsal small, inserted far back, its base scarcely greater than diam- 

 eter of orbit ; distance from its origin to base of caudal equaling one- 

 half the distance to tip of snout ; the origin of fin over middle of anal ; 

 highest ray If in head. Anal larger than dorsal, with longer base and 

 higher rays ; the longest anal ray slightly less than length of head ; 

 origin of anal about midway between rudimentary caudal rays, and gill 

 opening. Caudal acutely rounded, slightly less than length of head 

 Proc. Nat. Mus. 82 17 Aug-. 8, 18 8S. 



