DR. GUNTHER ON TIIE FISHES OP CENTRAL AMERICA. 415 



mouth small, the maxillary extending to the vertical from the anterior margm of the 

 orbit. Lips thick ; a pair of pores on the symphysis of the lower jaw, a central groove 

 behind it. Snout naked, the remainder of the head being scaly. The width of the 

 interorbital space is much less than that of the orbit. Dorsal and anal spines exceed- 

 ingly strong ; the third of the dorsal fin is the longest, and nearly two-thirds as long as 

 the head. The second anal spine is much longer than the third, and a little shorter 

 (but stronger) than the third of the dorsal fin. Each ray of the soft fins is accompanieil 

 by a series of minute scales, but only on the caudal fin are these scales dense enough 

 to cover the rays. Caudal fin slightly emarginate. Silvery, with four black cross 

 bands ; the first runs from the occiput, through the eye, to behind the angle of the 

 mouth, the second from before the dorsal fin to below the base of the pectoral, the 

 third from the base of the sixth, seventh, and eighth dorsal spines to the vent ; the 

 fourth descends from the origin of the soft dorsal to that of the soft anal. Fins 

 blackish. The cross bands appear to become fainter in old age. 



Two specimens, 8^ and 9 inches long, in the collection from Panama. 



25. Pkistipoma chalceum. 

 Giinth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 146. 



D. {j. A. ^,. L. lat. 5G. L. transv. 11/19. 



The height of the body is contained twice and two-thirds in the total length (without 

 caudal), the length of the head thrice and a third. The diameter of the eye is nearly 

 equal to the width of the interorbital space, and two-thirds of the extent of the snout. 

 The maxillary does not extend backwards to the vertical from the anterior margin of 

 the orbit. Prseoperculum minutely serrated behind, with the angle rounded, but not 

 produced. There is no notch between the spinous and soft portions of the dorsal fin, 

 the hinder spines being only a little shorter than the anterior rays ; dorsal spines of 

 moderate strength, the fourth being the longest, not quite half as long as the head ; 

 anal spines short, the second being only a little longer than the thii-d, two-sevenths of 

 the length of the head. Caudal fin subtruncated, scarcely emarginate. Dorsal and 

 anal perfectly scaleless. The pectoral fin extends to the vertical from the vent. 

 Bronze-coloured, shining silvery, perfectly immaculate; vertical fins blackish, with an 

 indistinct light band along the base. 



One specimen, 8 inches long, was discovered by Messrs. Dow and Salvin on the 

 Pacific coast of Panama. 



2G. Pristipoma humile. 



Kner & Steindachner, Sitzgsber. Ak. Wiss. Miinch. 1863, p. 222; and Abhandl. bayer. Ak. Wiss. x. 

 p. 3, tab. 1. fig. 1. 



D. % A. I L. lat. 56. L. transv. n.^,.. Cjec. pyl. 3. 



The height of the body is contained thrice and two-tliirds in tlie total length (without 



