109 FISHES OF SINALOA. 481 
adult. First dorsal bronze with bluish cross-streaks, the 
large black blotch ocellated with blue and with a patch of 
bright yellow before and behind it. Interspaces between 
this and the two other, smaller black spots also bright 
light’ yellow. 
180. Halicheres dispilus (Ginther). Plate xlv. 
This beautiful little fish was found to be rather abun- 
dant in the branches of the Astillero which cross Isla de 
las Piedras south of Mazatlan. Unlike most species of 
the group, it lives on the muddy bottoms, and is abundant 
about the roots of the mangrove, which border the muddy 
branches of the Astillero. It reaches a length of about 
six inches. A few specimens were also obtained in tide 
pools with sandy bottom. 
Head 3%; depth.4; dorsal IX, 11; anal II, 12 
6 in head; snout 34%; maxillary 44%; pectoral 1%; anal 
eye 
3; caudal fin 2. 
Body slender and compressed; dorsaland ventral outlines 
similar; head pointed, the profile slightly convex: mouth 
small, the jaws equal; teeth in a single row: canines }in 
front of jaws; at the posterior end of the premaxillary is 
a single strong, sharp tooth, pointing forward, and entirely 
below the angle of mouth. Lateral line high, following 
the curve of the back to the eighth dorsal ray, where it 
curves sharply down through two rows of scales, and then 
runs straight through middle of caudal peduncle to tail; 
pores of lateral line simple; scales large 2-27-10; head 
entirely naked; gill-rakers very small and pointed 6+-7. 
Dorsal spines slender but pungent: caudal slightly round- 
ed, the upper angle slightly acute; ventrals short not fila- 
mentous; scales before dorsal in about six rows, not cov- 
ering middle line. 
Length of specimen described, five inches. Number 
29047 1L.>:;\t.iUmiv. Mus. 
