282 SCLSNIB^. 



its length being 2|- in that of the head. The length of the head is 

 one-fourth of the total, the height of the body one-sixth. The dor- 

 sal fins with brown spots. 

 Eiver St. Frangois (Brazil). 



3. Pachyurus schomburgkii. 

 D. 10 I ^. A. y. L. lat. 85. L. transv. 9/20. 



The height of the body is 4^ in the total length, the length of the 

 head four times ; the diameter of the eye is nearly one-fourth of the 

 latter. The second doi-sal covered with scales for three-quarters of 

 its height, the caudal densely scaly. The second anal spine of mode- 

 rate strength, shorter than the rays, one-third of the length of the 

 head. Body and the second dorsal with blackish spots. 



Rivers of Brazil. 



a. Fine specimen. River Capin (Para). Purchased of Mr. Stevens. 



b. Young. Caripe Para. Presented by J. K. Smith, Esq. 



Description, — The body is shghtly compressed and somewhat 

 elongate, its greatest height being above the base of the ventral 

 fins, and contained 4| in the total length. The head is conical, 

 elongate, with the snout produced and somewhat pointed. The space 

 between the eyes is slightly convex, and as wide as the diameter of 

 the eye, which is one-fourth of the length of the head, and 1| in 

 that of the snout. The snout has a peculiar conical appearance, from 

 the prajorbital being swollen and so enlarged, that the maxUlaiy and 

 intermaxillary are entirely hidden. The upper jaw is slightly longer 

 than the loAver, which projects neither on the sides nor in front, so 

 that the mouth itself is situated at the under surface of the skull ; 

 the cleft of the mouth is rather small, and the posterior extremity of 

 the maxillary is at some distance from the level of the anterior 

 margin of the eye. Transparent scales, larger than those of the 

 body, cover the praeorbital, the cheek, and the praeoperculum, and 

 extend on the upper surface of the skiiU before the nostrils. The 

 nostrils are situated before the middle of the eye ; they are close 

 together, and nearly of equal size ; the aperture of the posterior is 

 partly covered by a small membranaceous lobule. The eye is much 

 longer than high, elliptical, which, together with the transparent and 

 swollen prteorbital, gives a very peculiar physiognomy to this fish ; 

 it is rather nearer the top of the snout than the end of the operculum. 

 The praeoperculum is armed with spinous teeth of moderate size 

 throughout ; the posterior limb descends obliquely backwards, and 

 is shorter than the inferior; the angle is rounded. Operculum 

 without spine, and covered with scales smaller than those of the 

 praeoperculum. 



The first dorsal begins above the root of the pectoral with a minute 

 spine, and terminates above the extremity of that fin, where it is con- 

 tinued into the soft dorsal ; and according to Cuvier's distinction 

 between the single and double dorsal, this fish, like many other true 

 Scimiido', would belong rather io Pristipoma, than to his group with 



