50 CALIFORNIA. ACADEMY OP SCIENCES 



93. Sy nodus scituliceps Jordan cfc Gilbert. 



SynodHsJoikiiisi Jordan & Bollman, 1889, p. 153. 



Two S23ecimens seen, one of which is 40 cm. long, and is preserved. The 

 head is remarkably long, 3| in length. Five rows of scales between lateral line and 

 median series before dorsal; seven rows between lateral line and median series before 

 anus; sixty scales in lateral line; six rows on cheeks. These characters would range 

 the specimen under the nominal species 8. jenkinsi, which we are unable, however, 

 to distinguish from S. scituliceps. Specimens from Mazatlanwith short head (typical 

 S. scituliceps) have five or six rows of scales on the cheeks (never four as originally 

 described), and have the anterior dorsal rays reaching or not reaching tip of posterior 

 ray when depressed. In these, the head varies from 3| to 4|^ in length, no sjiecimen 

 before us having the head as small as described for the type of ,6'. scituliceps (4|). 



The sj)ecies was also seen at Aca^iulco (Dec. 20), several specimens being 

 observed lying on the sandy bottom near the wharf. They lie rigidly in a straight 

 line, and their colors harmonize so well with that of the sand that they are detected 

 with difficulty. One specimen, on coming to rest after swimming a short distance, 

 disappeared in the sand, leaving only the tip of the snout exposed. It did not enter 

 head first, but settled into the sand with its whole length at once, apparently throwing 

 up the sand by motions of its pectoral and ventral fins. 



Family PCECILIID^. 

 94. Poecilia elongata Gfmther. 



Very abundant in the brackish sloughs about Panama. We found it also in 

 the market, where numerous specimens were taken from 5 to 18 cm. in length. 

 These are all females, no males being seen. All of the specimens examined have 

 young in the oviduct, about 18 mm. in length, apparently about ready to be set free. 

 They have four 01^ five narrow, distinct cross-bars on the body. The scale-pouches 

 have also a narrow, dark border, which shows through the scales as in the adult. 



We here supi:)lement the original description, from specimens 10 to 18 cm. in 

 length. Head 3| to 4| in length; depth 3i to 4. Eye 3| to 4| in head, slightly less 

 than half the interorbital width in the larger specimens, slightly more than half in 

 specimens 10 cm. long. Interorbital width half head. Height of caudal peduncle 

 11 to 1| in head, diminishing in height but slightly (sometimes not at all) from dorsal 

 to caudal base. Scales in six specimens 30, in six specimens 31, in four specimens 

 32. Nine specimens have 10 dorsal rays, two have 9; eight sijecimens have 9 anal 

 rays, four have 8. 



After removing and drying the jaws, a narrow band of very fine villiform 

 teeth, behind the dark-tipped slender outer teeth of each jaw, may be seen by the aid 

 of a lens. 



