DR. GtJNTHER ON THE FISHES OF CENTEAL AjMEEICA. 489 



278. Cetexgraulis mtsticetus. 



EngrauUs mysticetus, Gtinth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1866, p. 604. 

 Ceteiigraulis mysticetus, Giiuth. Fish. vii. p. 383. 



D. 17. A. 20. L. lat. 42. L. transv. 14. 



Head exceedingly large, its length being contained twice and four-fifths in the total 

 (without caudal) ; the height of the body is contained thrice and two-thirds in the 

 same ; the depth of the head is two-thirds of its length ; snout compressed, pointed, 

 considerably shorter than the eye, the diameter of wliich is contained live times and a 

 half in the length of the head. The origin of the dorsal hn is nearer to the root of the 

 caudal than to the end of the snout ; origin of the anal somewhat in advance of the end 

 of the dorsal. Pectoral fin reaching a little beyond the root of the ventral. Scales 

 adlierent. Silvery, back greenish. 



Three examples, the largest 6 inches long, were obtained by Messrs. Dow and Salvin 

 on the Pacific coast of Panama. 



279. Car.\pus fasciatus (Pall.). 



Two examples from the Rio Motagua are of a uniform brown coloration, but do not 

 differ structurally from South-American specimens. 



284. Tetrodox politus (Gir.). 

 D. 8. A. 7. 

 Nasal cavity with a short, imperforated papilla. Body smooth, except in the inter- 

 pectoral region, which is provided with minute spines. Head as broad as high, its 

 greatest depth being equal to the distance between the gill-opening and the front 

 margin of the orbit. Eye rather nearer to the gill-opening than to the end of the 

 snout. Upper parts blackish brown, with numerous black dots ; belly and lower part 

 of the sides white. Dorsal and caudal fins brown ; axil of the pectoral blackish. 

 One specimen, 13 inches long, was obtained by Mr. Salvin at San Jose. 



285. Tetrodon geometricus. 

 D. 8. A. 7. 

 Nasal cavity with a short, imperforated papilla. Body covered with minute spines, 

 except on the snout and tail. Belly pendent, very extensible. Head nearly as high 

 as broad, its depth being equal to its length without snout. The eye occupies the 

 middle of the length of the head. Upper parts blackish, with bluish transverse lines, 

 curved on the sides ; sides with some scattered black spots, lower parts white. Caudal 

 fin white in its basal, and black in its outer half; the other fins whitish. 



One example, 3 inches long, was obtained by Messrs Dow and Salvin at Panama. 



VOL. VI. PART Vll. 3 X 



