DR. GUNTHER ON THE FISHES OF CENTRAL AMERICA. 417 
rounded, and with the hind margin slightly concave. The spinous and soft portions of 
the dorsal fin are separated by a deep notch, the spine of the soft portion being nearly 
twice as long as the preceding. Dorsal spines long, of moderate strength: the third is 
the longest, and one-half, or more than one-half, as long as the head. Anal spines 
rather strong: the third is a little longer than the second, equal to the seventh dorsal 
spine, and more than one-third of the length of the head. Caudal fin emarginate. 
Each soft ray of the vertical fins is accompanied by a series of minute scales, The 
pectoral fin extends to the vertical from the origin of the anal in the younger example, 
but is shorter in adult ones. Scales smooth, bright silvery; young specimens with 
several very indistinct dark cross bands on the back, the first from the nape of the neck 
to the gill-opening, the second below the seventh dorsal spine, the third below the last 
dorsal spine ; old specimens with the marginal membrane of the opereulum black. 
One specimen, 74 inches long, was found by Mr. Salvin at San José. Three others, 
from 11 to 12 inches long, are from Chiapam ; and Capt. Dow found it also at Panama, 
where it does not appear to be rare. 
30. Conopon Pacifici. (Pl. LXIV. fig. 3.) 
Giinth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 147. 
D. 11|7,° A. 3S. Lelat. 47, L. transy. 7/13. 
Diagnosis.—The spinous teeth at the angle of the preoperculum are not much 
stronger than the others. The height of the body is contained twice and two-fifths in 
the total length (without caudal). 
One specimen, 12} inches long, was collected by Mr. Salvin at Chiapam. 
Description.—The body is compressed, and considerably elevated ; its greatest height, 
which is below the fifth dorsal spine, is contained twice and three-fourths in the total 
length. Upper profile rounded from the first dorsal spine to the nape, concave over 
the eyes, whence it descends abruptly over the snout. ‘The upper surface of the head 
is very broad, the space between the eyes being nearly twice the width of the orbit. 
‘The snout is thick and obtuse; the lips thick and fleshy. Teeth in a villiform band in 
both jaws, with an outer series of conical teeth. Chin with a median groove and a 
pair of pores. Posterior limb of preoperculum straight, regularly and distinctly 
serrated, the teeth becoming gradually a little larger at the angle, and continued on 
the lower limb; the entire surface of the preoperculum is covered with scales, which 
are smaller than those of the operculum, and reach to the margin of the bone. ‘The 
operculum has a notch behind, between two obtuse and feeble points. Suprascapular 
margin indistinctly toothed or roughened. The origin of the dorsal is in the vertical 
from the root of the pectoral, and its termination is vertically opposite to that of the anal ; 
the base of the spinous portion is nearly twice as long as that of the soft. ‘The spines 
are strong, broader alternately on one side than on the other; the first is small, not 
quite one-half the length of the second, which is rather more than half that of the 
VOL. VI.—PART VII. 3M 
