164 DORAS ARMATULUS. 



(iu casque et suit la seiie des epines jusqu au milieu 

 de la cuudale, dont le Lord superieur et I'inferieur 

 sont aussi fauves ; un ligne fauve moins tranchee 

 suit la langeur du milieu du dos. La moitie infe- 

 rieure de la dorsale est fauve clair ou blanchatre, 

 la moitie superieure est noire. L'anale a aussi une 

 grande tache noiratre ; la partie moUe de la pecto- 

 rale est noire, excepte le tiers de la base, qui est 

 blanchatre. Tout le dessous est d'un gris bruu, plus 

 pale en avant." Found in the Parana, but not be- 

 low 27 deg. 30 min. south latitude ; never exceed- 

 ing four inches in length. Frequents stony parts of 

 the streams, where there is a considerable current, 

 and never bites at the hook. * 



" This fish is found in the Upper Essequibo, and 

 seldom exceeds five inches in length ; the snout is 

 flat, back high, body short and thick, tail rounded, 

 dorsal and pectoral fins have serrated spiny rays, 

 a spiny process on the body which the pectoral 

 spine lies against when the fin is closed ; upper part 

 of the body covered with spinous armour, belly 

 without armour. Colour dark brown, with a line 

 of ochre along the back, and one along the lateral 

 line ; belly lighter, spotted with ochre ; all the fins 

 are light brown, banded and spotted with black ; 

 the eves are small and dull ; cirrhi, two in the up- 

 per and four in the lower jaw ; opercles smooth ; 

 gill-opening semilunar. When killed, a milky sub- 

 stance is found in the head, very bitter to the taste ; 

 and there is a species in the creeks of the Demerara 

 * Valenc. Hist. Nat. des Poissons, xv. p. 274. 



