45. PLATYSTOMA. 107 



barbels are much longer than the bead, and the others also exceed 

 the head in length. Brownish above, spotted with darker, the lower 

 parts whitish ; fins with black dots. 

 South America. 



4. Platystoma fasciatum. 



Silunis fasciatus, part., L. Syst. Nat. i. p. 505. 



Silurus fasciatus, Bl. taf. 366 ; Bl. Schn. p. 382. 



Platystoma fasciatum, Cuv. Sf Val. xv. p. 14 ; Kncr, Sitzungsber. Wien. 



Acad, xx vi. p. 401. 

 punctifer, Casteln. Anim. Amer. Sud, p. 40. pi. 19. fig. 2. 



B. 15. D. 1/6. A. 14. P. 1/9. 



The upper jaw projects but little beyond the lower. The maxillary 

 barbels extend to, or nearly to, the ventrals, and the outer ones of 

 the mandible as far, or still further, backwards. Brownish above, 

 with blackish cross-bands edged with silvery ; sometimes a longitu- 

 dinal series of blackish ocelli below the lateral line. 

 Vertical and ventral fins with black dots. Teeth on 

 the palate in four more or less confluent patches : 

 those on the vomer irregularly quadrangular ; those 

 on the palatines band-like, long, tapering behind. 



South America. 



a. Fine specimen. Essequibo. Purchased of Mr. Ehrhardt. 

 h. Half-grown. Surinam* 



c. Two feet long. River Capin, Para. Purchased of Mr. Stevens. 

 d-e. Young. Biver Capin, Para. Purchased of Mr. Stevens. 



5. Platystoma tigrinnm. 

 Cuv. $ Val. xv. p. 10. pi. 422. 



B. 16. D. 1/6. A. 11. P. 1/9. 

 The upper jaw projects but little beyond the lower. The tp^th on 

 the palate form one-half of an ellipse, the front part of which is very 

 broad, and produced into an obtuse lobe at its extremity; its branches 

 are prolonged behind. The maxillary barbels extend to the gill- 

 opening. Dorsal spine not serrated. Body with irregular, undulated, 

 transverse blackish-brown bands ; vertical and ventral fins with black 

 dots. {Vol.) 

 Brazil. 



6. Platystoma orbignianum. 



Valenc. in d' Orbig. Voy. Amer. Merid. Poiss. pi. 4. fig. 3 ; Cuv. 8f Val. xv. 

 p. 12. 



B. 17. D. 1/6. A. 14. P. 1/9. 



The upper jaw projects but little beyond the lower. Teeth on the 

 palate in four subcontiguous patches : those on the vomer subtrian- 

 gular ; those on the palatines subcuneiform, tapering behind. The 

 maxillary barbel does not extend to the end of the head, the outer of 

 the mandible reaches to the root of the pectoral. The dorsal spine 

 is scarcely stouter than the rays, and not serrated ; the pectoral spine 



