278 CHROM.IDES. 



3. Acara brasiliensis. 



Chromis brasiliensis, Quuy iif Gaini. Voy. Uran. Zool. Poiss. p. 286. 

 ? Scifena punctata, L. 3Ius. Ad. Fried, i. p. 66. 

 ? Labrus punctatus, L. Sijst. Nat. i. p. 477. 



? Chromys unimaciilata, Casteln. Anim. nouv. cm, raresAm^r. Sud, Poiss. 

 p. 13. pi. 7. fig. 2. 



D. li=i-^. A. -i. L. lat. 30, L. transv. f;. Vert. 14/15. 



Four series of scales on the cheek ; operculum entirely scaly. 

 Brownish-olive, with a black spot on the middle of the sides, and 

 with another indistinct blackish blotch above the basal portion of the 

 pectoral ; a rather indistinct dark band from the upper part of the eye 

 to the nape of the neck ; the posterior part of the dorsal and anal, and 

 the caudal with round whitish spots ; no black spot at the root of the 

 caudal. 



Fresh waters of Brazil. 



a-f. Fine specimens. Bahia. From Dr. 0. Wucherer's Collection. 

 f/, h, i. Adult and half-grown. Brazil. Presented by Lord Stuart. 

 %. Adult : skeleton. Bahia. From Dr. 0. Wucherer's Collection. 



Description. — The height of the body is contained twice and a third 

 to twice and a fourth in the total length (the caudal not included), 

 the length of the head three times. The najie of the neck is sUghtly 

 curved, but in the largest specimen (nine inches long) a very pro- 

 minent soft hump is developed, probably formed by an accumulation 

 of fat. The width of the interorbital space is nearly one-third (in 

 young specimens two-sevenths) of the length of the head, and less 

 than that of the snout. Snout compressed, elevated, the width of the 

 prfEorbital being twice that of the eye in adult examples, and less 

 in half-grown ones. Cleft of the mouth shghtly oblique, not ex- 

 tending to the vertical from the orbit. The fold of the lower lip is 

 interi-upted in the middle. The lower limb of the pra3operculum 

 much shorter than the posterior. There are twelve series of scales 

 between the throat and the root of the ventral. 



Dorsal spines of moderate strength, gradually increasing in length 

 posteriorly ; the length of the ninth is one-third, or nearly one-third, 

 of that of the head. The middle of the soft dorsal and anal produced, 

 and extending beyond the middle of the caudal, which is rounded. 

 Pectoral as long as, or somewhat longer than, the head, not extend- 

 ing to the middle of the anal. Ventral filament very long. 



4. Acara gymnopoma. 

 D. i^. A. |. L. lat. 26. L. transv. |. 



Five series of scales on the cheek ; only the upper and anterior 

 margins of the operculum are scaly. Brownish-olive, with a black 

 spot on the middle of the sides ; the posterior part of the dorsal and 

 anal, and the caudal with round ^^'hitish spots. 



Hah. ? 



a. Five inches long. 



