186 PLATYSTOMA PARDALIS. 



are oval, situate near tlie middle of the head ; nos- 

 trils single, on the snout ; gill-lid smooth. Lateral 

 line runs nearly straight to the middle of the tail ; 

 it has a bony process which the serrated ray of the 

 pectoral fin shuts against. Tongue round and fleshy ; 

 the upper jaw slightly produced, the teeth fine and 

 thickly set in both. Vent equidistant from anal and 

 ventral fins. The colour of the body light blue, 

 streaked with black and white ; the fins blue, spot- 

 ted with black; belly white. They are taken by 

 the hook and shot with arrows, and are much 

 esteemed by the Indians." 



D. 7— P. 1/9— V. 6— A. 12_C. 30— Br. 14— Vert. 44. 



Another species, nearly allied, and procured by 

 D'Orbigny in the vicinity of Buenos Ayres, is PI. 

 pardalisy Yalenc. The most important difference 

 is mentioned to consist in the dorsal plate being not 

 granulated. The colours of the fish are represented 

 as nearly the same ; the whole body and members, 

 except the pectoral and ventral fins, being spotted 

 over with small irregular black markings : upon 

 the dorsal aspect, however, there are the pale ir- 

 regular bands reaching to the centre of the fish. 

 This species attains a large size, reaching a length 

 of five feet. 



Before leaving this form, we should notice the 

 structure mentioned by Schneider to have been 

 observed in the P. (silurus) fasciatus of Surinam. 

 There is a hole on each side, above the pecto- 

 ral fin, by which the abdomen can be inflated; 



