A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ICHTHYOLOGY 

 OF MEXICO. 



BV SETH EUGENE MEEK. 



The following paper is based on a collection of fishes made in 

 Mexico during April, May and June, igoi, by the writer and Mr. 

 Frank Eugene Lutz, instructor in zoology in Chicago University, as 

 volunteer assistant. The more important river systems were 

 examined, chiefly with the view of discovering the southern range of 

 our North American ichthyic fauna, and the northern range of the 

 South and Central American faunas. 



Most of the collecting was done with two J^-inch mesh seines, 

 one being 25 feet in length, the other about 50 feet. 



The central portion of Mexico is a plateau ranging from about 

 3,500 feet above the sea to about 8,000 feet. The streams vary much 

 in size; many go quite or entirely dry during the dry season, while 

 during the rainy season they become torrents. Our visit was made 

 during the latter part of the dry season when the streams were very 

 low. The collection secured is perhaps larger than all other collec- 

 tions combined from the fresh waters of Mexico. The fish fauna of 

 Mexico is very interesting. In the northern part of the country we 

 find a few species not found elsewhere, while a large portion of the 

 fauna are species which have migrated south. The South American 

 fauna predominates as far north as Mexico City, though a' few of its 

 forms extend into Texas. 



In making this collection we would acknowledge the assistance 

 of the following ^'entlemen: Mr. J. H. Hampson of the Cuernavaca & 

 Pacific Railroad, Mr. W. Morcom of the Mexican Southern Railroad, 

 Mr. E. A. White of the Interoceanic Railroad, Mr. Chas. Sheldon of 

 the Chihuahua & Pacific Railroad, Mr. J no. P. Ramsey of the Rio 

 Grande, S. Madre and Pacific Railroad, Mr. H. R. Nickerson and 

 Mr. T. R. Ryan of Mexican Central and to Mr. Ward, Superintendent 

 of W'ells, Fargo Express Co., and to the officials of the Atchison, 

 Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. We also received considerable aid from 

 station agents on these various railroads wlicrc we stopped and also 



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