DR. GUNTHER ON THE FISHES OF CENTRAL AMERICA. 435 
soft portion of the anal is about as long as that of the soft dorsal: it consists of 
eighteen rays, and perfectly resembles the soft dorsal in shape, having the first two rays 
much longer than the others, equal to the corresponding rays in the dorsal, and the 
following rays rapidly decreasing in length to the sixth, from which the margin of the 
fin is almost straight. The pectoral fin is pointed, of moderate size, its length being 
three-fourths that of the head. The ventrals are short, more than half the length of 
the pectoral, and not reaching to the vent. The tail behind the dorsal and anal is 
compressed and narrow. ‘The caudal is deeply forked; the lobes are equal, and con- 
tained thrice and a half in the total length; it is covered with small scales. 
The body is covered with very minute scales ; those at the base of the vertical fins and 
near the lateral line are a little larger. The head and opercular bones are entirely 
naked. The lateral line shows a somewhat irregular sinuosity slightly above the median 
axis of the body for the first half of its length, after which it is perfectly straight, termi- 
nating between the two lobes of the caudal. ‘Teeth small, villiform; a small central 
patch on the vomer, and a narrow one on each of the palatines. 
Bluish green above, silvery beneath. Five vertical brown stripes down the sides of 
the body across the lateral line, the first two being nearer together than the others, 
which are at almost equal distances: the first behind the axil of the pectoral, the 
second below the third dorsal spine, the third below the sixth, the fourth below the 
seventh dorsal ray, and the fifth below the seventeenth. However, the second and 
third of these bands are placed sometimes more backwards, which is evidently the case 
in the example described by Mr. Gill, and named by him 7. fasciatus. Having recently 
obtained two examples from Capt. Dow, one of which shows the arrangement of the 
bands as in 7’. glaucoides, on one side, and that of 7. fasciatus on the other, I cannot 
entertain any doubt as to the specific identity of these fishes. 
86. PrLAMys SARDA, Bl. 
We may mention this species here, although it is not contained in any of the collec- 
tions forming the material for this Memoir, because Dr. Ayres alludes to it in the following 
manner :—‘* A species of Pelamys brought to the markets of San Francisco is without ques- 
tion the P. sarda. The closest examination fails to distinguish it from the Atlantic form. 
Previous to this time we had no positive knowledge of any fish in the low latitudes which 
inhabits Californian waters and those of the Atlantic.”—Proc. Calif. Acad. 1855, p. 74. 
90. Barracnus pactrict (Gthr.). 
In other specimens recently collected by Capt. Dow at Panama, I find the membrane 
at the bottom of the pouch of the axil of the pectoral fin (described in Fish. iii. p. 173) 
folded and wrinkled, with a great quantity of coagulated mucus between the folds. 
The same species appears to occur also on the coast of West Africa, a specimen having 
been lately obtained by Dr. Steindachner, who describes it as B. liberiensis (Sitzgsber. 
Ak. Wiss. Wien, 1867, lv. p. 525, Taf. 1. figs. 2 & 3). 
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