THE GYMNOTID EELS OF TROPICAL AMERICA. 139 



blotches of dark brown and black dorsally; many irregular bands of dark brown 

 spots and blotches crossing the body and anal ; anal heavily marked with black and 

 brown spots over a background of cream-white; head dark, mottled with large 

 black and small bluish white spots; mental region almost white, pectorals spotted 

 with black, brown, and white; caudal peduncle dark chocolate-brown, banded 

 with black. 



This species is quite variable in size, markings, and length of snout. It is 

 very highly prized as a food-fish. It lives among the roots of the "Mucka Mucka" 

 and a species of Calladium which grow up from the water. It frequents the 

 smaller and more open streams, although it is taken less often in the larger ones. 

 From the contents of the stomachs examined it seems to live almost entirely on 

 mud-inhabiting insect larvse and worms. 



Kaup records this fish as attaining the size of six feet. No such specimens 

 were seen and from the accounts of the fishermen questioned it seems rarely to 

 exceed four and a half feet. 



The names of "Band Fish" and "Wabri" were given it by my Guiana coolies. 



Distribution: South America, except the Magdalena and Brazilian coastal 

 streams. 



VIII. Gymnorhamphichthys genus nov. 



Type, Gymnorhamphichthys hypostomus Ellis. 



Distinguished from all the other Gymnotids except the electric eel by the 

 absence of scales from the anterior part; scales few, confined to the caudal regions; 

 snout straight and produced; other points much as in Rhamphichthys. This genus 

 contains but a single species. 



12. Gymnorhamphichthys hypostomus Ellis. (Plate XXIII, fig. 2.) 



EUis, inEigenmann, Fishes of British Guiana, Mem. Carn. Mus., Vol. V, p. 436, 



1912. 

 Type, 3182 C. M., 215 mm. San Joaquim, Sept. 5, 1909, Haseman. 

 Cotypes : 



3183 C. M., one, 180 mm. Rio Mamore, Sept. 19, 1909, Haseman. 



12641 I. U. M., two, 140-145 mm. Konawaruk, Eigenmann. 



3184 C. M., two, 75 and 115 mm. Bastos, Rio Mamore, Aug. 3, 1909, Hase- 

 man. 



3185 C. M., one, 80 mm. Maciel, Rio Guapore, July 29, 1909, Haseman. 



12642 I. U. M., one, 125 mm. Puerto Bertoni, Alto Parana, Bertoni. 

 12613 I. U. M., three, 95-100 mm. Tumatumari, Eigenmann. 



Head 4.8 to 7.1, depth 12.4 to 13.6 in the length to the end of the anal, anal 

 rays 165-210. 



Snout 1.6 to 2; interorbital 8 to 14 in the head; eye 7 to 14 in the snout. 

 Body compressed, slender and quite elongate; width of the head 2 to 2.5; 



