DR. GUNTHER ON THE FISHES OF CENTRAL AMERICA. 465 
lary not extending backwards to the vertical from the front margin of the eye. Teeth 
in a band, those of the outer series much larger and stronger than the others, and with 
brown tips. Interorbital space convex, not quite twice as broad as the orbit. Eye 
about equidistant from the end of the snout and that of the opercle. Vertical fins 
scaly at the base. The spinous dorsal is rather low, the length of the twelfth spine 
being less than one-third of that of the head. Soft dorsal and anal somewhat produced, 
the former reaching to the middle of the caudal. The free portion of the tail is rather 
‘longer than high. Caudal subtruncated, its length being a little less than one-fifth of 
the total. Pectoral shorter than the head, about equal in length to the ventral, the 
outer ray of which reaches to the vent. Brownish, with about five very indistinct 
broad darker cross bands, descending from the back to a not less indistinct longitudinal 
band which runs from above the pectoral to a black spot in the middle of the root of 
the ventral. Vertical fins with transverse series of round whitish spots, separated by a 
network of dark lines. Pectoral yellowish. 
182. Heros NicaracuEnsis. (Plate LXXVII. fig. 1.) 
Giinth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 153. 
D, SS  As gy Tn Jate35. + L. transv, 5/13, 
The fold of lower lip is interrupted in the middle, The height of the body is con- 
tained twice and two-fifths in the total length (without caudal); the length of the head 
thrice and one-fifth. Head much higher than long, in consequence of an adipose 
swelling above the eye, which renders the shape of the head Coryphzena-like. Scales 
on the cheek in six series, rather irregularly arranged. The first dorsal spine is inserted 
above the upper end of the gill-opening. Dorsal and anal spines long, the sixteenth of 
the dorsal fin being one-half the length of the head, Pectoral not quite as long as 
the head, Brownish olive above, yellowish below; back with five or six blackish cross 
bands, not extending downwards to beyond the middle of the side; many scales with a 
brown vertical marginal streak. The soft vertical fins with brown spots, each half as 
large as a scale. 
Two specimens, 64 and 7 inches long, were collected by Capt. Dow in the Lake of 
Nicaragua. 
Description.—Snout elevated ; preorbital wider than the orbit, the diameter of which 
is more than one-fourth of the length of the head. Cleft of the mouth rather narrow, 
horizontal, the jaws equal in front, and the maxillary not extending back to the vertical 
from the front of the orbit. Teeth in a band, those of the outer series being somewhat 
enlarged, and with brown tips. Interorbital space very convex, not quite twice as broad 
as the orbit. The eye is about equally distant from the end of the snout and that of 
the opercle, and far below the upper profile of the head. Vertical fins scaly at the 
base. Spinous dorsal not very low, the sixteenth spine being half as long as the head ; 
VOL. VI.—PART VII. 38 
