7. nERos. 287 



length (without caudal). A large brownish -black blotch behind the 

 eye, a black spot on the root of the caudal. 

 Hah. ? 



a. Six and a half inches long. From the Collection of the Zoological 

 Society. 



Description of the specimen. — The height of the body is one-half 

 of the total length (the caudal not included), the length of the head 

 somewhat more than one-third. Head as long as high, with the 

 snout of moderate extent ; the length of the latter is contained twice 

 and a fom-th in that of the head, or equal to tviice the diameter of 

 the eye. The cleft of the mouth is oblique, with the lower jaw 

 slightly prominent, and with the maxillary hidden below the prae- 

 orbital and not extending to below the front margin of the eye. 

 Jaws protractile, armed with a broad band of villiform teeth, the 

 teeth of the outer series being enlarged. Prajorbital as wide as the 

 orbit. The profile above the eye is curved, and the interorbital space 

 very convex. Eye somewhat nearer to the exti'emity of the oper- 

 culiun than to that of the snout. Scales ctenoid ; those on the cheek 

 not much smaller than those on the opercles. 



Basal portion of the vertical fins scaly. Dorsal spines of moderate 

 strength and length ; the length of the twelfth is rather more than 

 one-third of that of the head. The soft dorsal and anal are elevated 

 on the middle, extending to the middle of the caudal. Caudal roimded. 

 Pectoral rounded, equal in length to the distance of the snout from 

 the posterior margin of the orbit. The outer ventral ray is prolonged 

 into a filament extending to the sixth anal spine. 



Bro^^^lish : dark on the back, light on the lower parts. A brown- 

 ish-black blotch occupies the space between the eye and the uj^per part 

 of the gill-opening ; there is a crescent-shaped yellowish spot above 

 it. A rounded blackish spot at the base of the caudal, above the 

 end of the lateral line ; an indistinct dark band appears to run fi-om 

 the spot on the head towards that of the caudal, and to be joined by 

 several cross-bars descending from the back. Fins uniform. 



4. Heros margaritifer. 

 D. 1^. A. f. L. lat. 31. L. transv. 5/13. 



The fold of the lower lip is slightly interrupted in the middle ; 

 five or six series of scales on the cheek. The height of the body is 

 rather less than one-half of the total length (without caudal). 

 Brownish-oUve, with seven black cross-bands, each band with pearl- 

 coloured spots. 



Guatemala. 



a. Six and a half inches long. Lake Peten. From the Collection 

 of Messrs. Salnn and Godman. 



Description of the spec-imen. — Head rather higher than long, its 

 length being one-third of the total (without caudal). There is a 



