I20 Field Columbian Museum — Zoology, Vol. VII. 



hardly suspect that fishes suitable for food could be found in such 

 muddy, warm water. Yet the Guapote taken from here sold as readily 

 in the market at Granada as did the best fishes from the Lake. Their 

 flesh was firm, white and flaky, and of good flavor. The vitality of 

 these fishes is remarkable. Those in the market are often found to 

 be living after they have been taken from the water for some time. 

 I purchased two of these fishes in the market at Granada one morning, 

 carried them to the hotel, and left them while eating my breakfast and 

 for some half an hour afterwards. I then put them in water, and in a 

 short time they were as lively as ever. This species is certainly worthy 

 of the attention of fish culturists. It grows to a length of about 500 

 mm. In shape it resembles our black bass. It is, however, a thicker 

 fish. 



Managua (15), 75 to 245 mm.; San Francisco (i), 150 mm.; Jeni- 

 cero (13), 50 to 225 mm.; Cisplaya (4), 90 to no mm.; Granada (6), 

 150 to 195 mm. 



Cichlasoma dovii Giinther. Guapote. 



Hews dovii Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc, Lond., 1864, 154, Lake 

 Nicaragua; Gill and Bransford, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 

 1877,183. 

 A Head 2.5 to 2.6; depth 2.5 to 2.6; D. xviii-12 or 13; A. vii or 

 viii-8 or 9; scales 7-35-1 1. Body elongate, not much compressed; 

 dorsal region little elevated; profile slightly concave above eyes, the 

 rest convex; mouth large, the gape oblique; end of maxillary reach- 

 ing vertical from front of orbit, its length 2.1 to 2.3 in head; lower 

 jaw the longer, mandible 1.6 to 1.8 in length of head; lips thick, the 

 lower with free border; teeth in jaws in one series; anterior 2 of upper 

 jaw enlarged, two teeth on each .side of anterior portion of lower jaw 

 enlarged; teeth all conical; snout long, pointed, its length 2.4 to 2.6 

 in head; preorbital broad, 4.5 to 5.0 in head; postorbital 2.2 to 2.3; 

 gill rakers 3+9 or 10; cheek broad, covered l^y 10 rows of scales; 

 premaxillary process to posterior part of orbit 1.5 to 1.7 in head; eye 

 5.2 to 5.7 in head; dorsal and anal fins low, the spines weak, longest 

 dorsal spine about 3.7 in head; longest anal spine about 3.9; soft 

 rays of dorsal reach middle of caudal in largest specimens, in smaller 

 ones to base of caudal; pectoral short, its tip not reaching ])ast tip of 

 ventral, length 1.7 to 1.9 in head; tip of ventrals not reaching first 

 anal spine, length of ventral 1.7 to 1.9 in head; origin of dorsal to tip 

 of snout 2.4 to 2,5 in head; a line from margin of upi)er lip to base of 

 last anal ray passes just above base of pectoral to middle of caudal, 

 midway between lower margin of orbit to base of pectoral ; male 



