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XIV. An account of the Fishes of the States of Central America, based on collections 

 made by Capt. J. M. Dow, F. Godjian, Esq., and O. Salvix, Esq. By Albert 

 GtJNTHEH, M.A., M.I)., Ph.I)., F.H.S., F.Z.S. 



Ecad March 22iid, 186-1, and December 13th, 1SG6. 



[Plates LXTII. to LXXXVIL] 



§ 1. Introductory Historical Bemarks on the Collections forming the basis of this 



Memoir. 

 Before proceeding to the enumeration and description of the fislies known to exist 

 in the States of Central America, I may be permitted briefly to notice the circumstances 

 which enable me to submit to the Society the results contained in the present memoir. 



Mr. Salvin started in the year 1859 on his second excursion to Guatemala, chiefly 

 with the intention of working out the ornithological fauna of that country. But having 

 had his attention directed by me to the fact that its cold-blooded vertebrates were almost 

 entirely unknown, he made and brought home a small collection of reptiles and fresh- 

 water fishes, which proved to be of sufficient interest to encourage him to pay still, more 

 attention to this subject on a third excursion, which he undertook in company with Mr. 

 Godman in the year 1861. By far the greater part of the materials which form the 

 basis of this memoir were obtained on this occasion. Not only did the two travellers 

 extend their excursions to various parts of Guatemala, but Mr. Salvin also visited 

 Panama, where he met and collected in company with Capt. Dow, of the Panama 

 Railway Company's Steamer ' Guatemala.' 



Capt. Dow, indeed, had commenced to collect fishes previously to this, lla^•ing sent 

 several collections to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, and to the Zoological 

 Society of London, whence they were transferred to the British Museum; and foi^the 

 last three years he has continued his researches with such zeal and liberality that I 

 cannot abstain from acknowledging here the great services he has rendered to the cause 

 of science. 



The collections made by these gentlemen contained not less than about 1500 examples, 

 ni a perfect state of preservation, many of considerable size. In addition to these, I 

 have examined a few which had been purchased of a dealer for the British Museum 

 having been collected at Puerto Cabello in the Bay of Honduras, and, finally, those 

 collected by Dr. Seemann, originally deposited in the CoUection of Haslar Hospital, 

 and now in the Britisli Museum. The latter have lost much of their scientific value, as, 

 unfortunately, no record was kept of the localities where they were obtained ; and only 

 in a few cases have I been able to avail myself of specimens of this collection, viz. where 

 the original label, with the name of the collector, has been accidentally preserved. 



VOL. VI. — P.VRT VII. ' 3 g 



