THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 345 



half, the basal portions olivaceous, with a large black spot posteriorly, 

 and immediately anterior to it a white one. The dark spot is bordered 

 above and behind by the yellow part mentioned. In one specimen the 

 posterior half of the base of the dorsal fin is dull white, with a large 

 subcircular spot of black in the centre. Length about one inch. 



P. similar, the dorsal unspotted, the yellow less intense. 



A few specimens only were taken, in a small ditch at Robinson's 

 landing. Peck's beach, opposite Beesley's point. 



42. Cyprinodon ovtnus, Val. 



Cyprinodon ovinus, Valenc. — Esox ovinvs, Mitch. — Lchias ovinus, DeKay, 

 New York Fauna, Fishes, 215, plate xxvii, fig. 87. 



This species was very abundant in the salt ponds, more so than any 

 other ; it was seen but rarely in the creeks or in the bays. Specimens 

 were taken of much larger size than the supposed average; and the 

 males, recognised by the black band on the end of the caudal fin, were 

 found to be lar-er than the females. 



43. Cyprinodon parvus, B. & G. 



Cyprinodon iiarv%is, B. and G. — Form elongated, resembling a diminu- 

 tive Lcuciscus ; head constituting less than a fourth of the total length ; 

 eye quite large and circular, being contained three times in the length 

 of the side of the head ; caudal posteriorly rounded. — D. lU; A. 10; C. 

 5. I. 7. C. I. 4; V. 6; P. 15. Scales quite large, deeper than long, and 

 disposed in eight longitudinal series upon the line of greatest depth of 

 the body ; seven series may be observed upon the peduncle of the tail. 



This species was found in the small ponds of the salt meadows, 

 generally in the grass ; and owing to their diminutive size the males 

 were not often taken, and, in fact, neither sex was found in anything 

 like the abundance of most other species. The colors during life were 

 very plain, being without any of the peculiar patterns of other species. 

 I observed it, sparingly, in many localities in Long Island, especially 

 at Greenport. It has a close resemblance to the females of Heter- 

 andri 



la. 



44. Esox FAsciATus, DeKay. 

 Short- billed Pike. 



Esox fasciatus, DeKay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 224, plate xxxiv, 



fig. 110. 



Brownish olivaceous ; a longitudinal lighter vertebral stripe. On 

 each side of the body a median longitudinal irregular band of golden, 



