346 CTPRINODONTID^. 



scale of the lateral line. Origin of the dorsal fin scarcely in advance 

 of that of the anal. Dorsal and anal fins small ; base of the caudal 

 scaly. Tail of moderate length, its least depth being scarcely equal 

 to the length of the head, without snout. There are seven longi- 

 tudinal series of scales on each side of the tail. Lateral line very 

 indistinct. 



Body light brownish, a silvery vertical streak on each scale. A 

 small blackish spot in the middle of the root of the caudal ; a 

 blackish spot across the base of the three posterior dorsal rays. 

 The prominent belly of females silvery in its anterior half, and deep 

 black in its posterior, both colours being sharply separated from 

 each other. 



Habitat ? 



a-e. Females, from 2 to 2^ inches long. North America ?, Jamaica ? 

 From Mr. ParneU's Collection. 



13. Pcecilia dominicensis. 



Pcecilia dominicensis, Cut: Sf Val. xviii. p. L'jl, pi. 525. 

 D. 8. A. 7-8. L. lat. 28. L. transv. 8. 



The height of the body is contained thrice and two-thirds in the 

 total length (without caudal), the length of the head four times. 

 The origin of the dorsal fin is a little nearer to the root of the caudal 

 than to the occipiit, and nearly opposite to that of the anal. Dorsal 

 and anal fins small, rounded. Tail of moderate height, its least 

 depth being less than the length of the head (without snout). A 

 dai'k line along the middle of the back ; sometimes irregular indis- 

 tinct blackish spots on the back. Caudal with two light-brownish 

 cross bands. 



San Domingo ; Barbadoes. Known from the female only. 



a. Female, 2 Hnches long. Barbadoes. Purchased of Mr. Cuming. 

 h. Female, 2 inches long. San Domingo. 



14. Pcecilia unimaculata. 



Pcecilia unimaculata, Valenc. in Hmnb. Ohserv. Zool. ii. p. 158, pi. 51, 

 fig. 2 ; Ctiv. Sf Val. xviii. p. 128 ; Jetujns, Zool. Beagle, Fish. p. 114. 



D. 7. A. 7. L. lat. 27. L. transv. 7. 

 The height of the body is contained thrice and one-third in the 

 total length (withoiit caudal), the length of the head thrice and two- 

 thirds ; the diameter of the eye is scarcely more than the extent of 

 the snout, two-sevenths of the length of the head, and a little more 

 than one-half of the iuterorbital space. The origin of the dorsal fin 

 is midway between the root of the caiidal and the occiput, and cor- 

 responds to the twelfth scale of the lateral line. Origin of the anal 

 opposite to that of the dorsal. Dorsal and anal fins small, rounded ; 

 caudal scaly at the base only. Tail, compressed, rather high, its 

 least depth being equal to the length of the head, without snout. 

 There are seven series of scales on each side of the tail. Lateral 



