20 ON THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS ANOSTOMUS. 
uall}' darker at the points of intersection of the longitud- 
inal and the transverse bands. The latter are frequently 
indistinct, even on very youngspecimens. On large ones 
the depth is less than four and the head rather more than 
four and a half times in the total length, and the markings 
are greatly faded ; some have the longitudinal bands more 
distinct, others the transverse, and on a few all of the 
bands, including the caudal spot, are obsolete. Eight or 
nine of the dorsal rays are in front of the middle of the 
length. The peculiar coloration, squaniation, and stouter 
form serve to distinguish this fish from either of the two 
preceding species of this subgenus. 
Hob. Gurnpa, Jose Fernandez, Lake Hyanuary, 
Manaos, Obydos, Porto do Moz, Rio Negro. 
Anostomus nitens. 
A. varius, var. n. 
This name is given to a dozen light colored specimens 
from Iga. The transverse bands of the flank are reduced 
to blotches on the lateral line, the longitudinal line is faint 
or absent, and the general appearance is greyish rather than 
brown. The back is crossed by numerous narrow streaks, 
twenty-eight on one specimen, separated by lighter spaces 
of equal width. The lateral series of blotches is present 
on eight of the lot, while on the other four they are obso- 
lete, excepting the caudal spot which is much faded. The 
eye is large, equal to three-elevenths of the length of the 
head, or to the length of the snout. Niue rays of the 
dorsal appear in front of the middle of the length. 
Anostomus orinocensis St. 
In the desci'iption of this fish it is said there arc seven 
scales between the lateral line and the dorsal, and three 
and a half between the line and the ventral ; the latter 
