388 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [46] 



This species is rather common about Mazatlan, where numerous speci- 

 mens were taken by Dr. Gilbert. It is readily distinguished from other 

 species by the weakness of its dorsal spines, as w ell as by the large 

 number of the anal rays. 



44. BAIRDIELLA RONCHUS. 



(Ronco ; Corvina.) 



Corvina ronchus Cuv. & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 107, 1830 (Maracaibo ; Surinam). 



Storer, Syn. Fish. North Am., 320, 184C (copied). Giinther, Cat. Fish. Brit. 



Mus., ii, 299, I860 (San Domingo, Jamaica, Bahia). Giinther, Fishes Central 



America, 387, 1869 (Atlantic coast Central America). Cope, Ichthyol. Lesser 



Antilles, 471, 1870 (St. Martin). 

 Bairdiella ronchus Poey, Synopsis, 324, 1868 (Cuba). Poey, Enumeratio, 48, 1875 



(Cuba). Poey, Fauna Puerto-RiqueEa, 326, 1S81 (Porto Rico). 

 Sciama ronchus Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1886, 44 (Havana). 



Habitat. — Atlantic coasts of tropical America. 



This species seems to be generally common in the West Indies and 

 along the coast of Brazil. 



The numerous specimens before us are from Havana. The species is 

 called Corvina in the Havana markets, where it is a food-fish of some 

 importance. 



Many specimens from Bio Janeiro and from Havana are in the mu- 

 seum at Cambridge. There is considerable individual variation, but 

 there seems to be no specific difference between Cuban and Brazilian 

 examples. 



A number of specimens in poor condition are also in the museum, 

 supposed to have been obtained by Captain Perry at Yera Cruz. These 

 have the snout longer, the eye smaller, and the fins higher than usual 

 in ronchus, and they may represent a different species. In these the 

 snout is 4 in head, the eye 4i, the longest dorsal spines If, the second 

 anal spine If. D. X-I, 24. 



45. BAIRDIELLA ARMATA. 



Bairdiella armata Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, 164 (west coast Central 



America). Bean & Dresel, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1884, 156 (Jamaica). 

 Corvina armata Giinther, Fishes Central America, 387 and 428, 1869 (Pacific coast of 



Central America). 

 Sciama armata Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish Com., 1831, 316 (Pauama). Gilbert, 



Bull. U. S. Fish Com., 1882, 112 (Punta Arenas). Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. 



S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 276 (Panama). 

 Corvina acutirostris Steindachner, Ichthyol. Beitr., iii, 28,1875, plate 4 (Panama). 

 Corvina (Homoprion) acutirostris Steindachner, Zur Fisch-Fauna des Magdalenen- 



Stromcs, 9, 1878 (Caiman on Rio Magdalena). 



Habitat. — Both coasts of tropical America. 



This species is not uncommon on the Pacific coast about Panama, 

 and it is equally abundant on the Atlantic coast, where it seems to as- 

 cend the rivers. 



