22 THE CYPRINODONTS. 



spot on the posterior rays of the dorsal, sometimes absent. Rarely a similar 

 spot occurs on the anal. Numerous specimens have dorsal and anal, and more 

 rarely ventrals and pectorals, with dark tips. Top of head dark, clouded. 

 Belly and lower half of head silvery. Aged specimens show a tendency to 

 become uniform olivaceous. New England to Florida. 



Var. gibbosus has the same markings, with less of the olive, perhaps, but 

 is more brilliant in general coloration, and has a scale or two less in the 

 lateral line. Florida to Texas. 



Var. Riverendi is much the same in squamation, but has fewer and broader 

 bars and interspaces, and becomes uniform olivaceous with age. Cuba. 



Var. hovimis differs from gibhosus mainly in coloration. It has a narrow 

 silvery band nearly level with the upper edge of the eye to a point a little 

 above the middle of the base of the caudal, separating the dorsal blotches 

 from those of the middle of the flank. The blotches on the side are some- 

 what confluent in a longitudinal band, with irregular lower margin and more 

 or less broken. The vertical bar on the bases of the caudal rays is distinct, 

 and on many specimens the caudal is tipped with black. 



Leon's and Comanche Springs, Texas. 



Cyprinodon latifasciatus. 



Cyprinodon laUfasciatiis Garman, 1881, B. Mus. Comp. Zool., VII, 92; Jor. & G., 1882, B. 16 U. S. 

 Mus., 329; .Tor., 1887, R. U. S. F. Com. 835 ; Everm. & K., 189i, B. U. S. F. Com., 1892, pp. 78, 83, 87, 

 89. 90, 92, 106. 



B. 5 ; D. 12-11 ; A. 12-10 ; V. 6-5 ; P. 15 ; LI. 27-30 ; Ltr. 11 ; Vert. 

 13+14. 



The shape of this species is similar to that of C. vanegatus ; but marked 

 differences appear in the coloration, the number of branchiostegal rays, and 

 in the number of rays in the ventral fins. In a specimen of two and one 

 eighth inches the depth of the body is contained in the length to the base of 

 the caudal two and one-third times, while the head is about two thirds of the 

 depth. Snout broad, short, blunt; chin steep. Mouth medium, oblique, 

 directed upward ; lower jaws longer, upper short, protractile. Teeth in a 

 single series, tricuspid. Eye little less than snout, nearly one fourth of 

 head, or half of forehead. Branchiostegal rays five. Dorsal origin nearly 

 midway from snout to base of caudal, fin rounded on outer margin. Anal 

 large, smaller than dorsal, rounded on outer border ; base and tip extending 



