70 



UNITED STATES AKD MEXICAN BOUNDARY 



POECILIA LINEOLATA, Grd. 

 Plate XXXV, Figs. 9—11. 



Spec. Char, — Head rather small and acute, entering four times and a half in the total length. The diameter of the eye 

 is contained about forr times in the side of the head : once in advance of the anterior rim of the orbit. Dorsal fin in the female 

 longer than high, its anterior margin nearer the extremity of the snout than the insertion of the caudal, and its base equal to the 

 length of the head. The caudal, which is posteriorly rounded off, enters four times and a half in the total length. The anal is 

 small, inserted opposite the posterior third of the base of the dorsal. The insertion of the small ventrals takes place in advance 

 of the anterior margin of the dorsal fin. The scales are much deeper than long. 



The color is olivaceous or reddish brown, with seven longitudinal series of black spots occu- 

 pying the centre of the scales. Dorsal and anal fins with transverse black filets ; other fins 

 unicolor. 



D 14 ; A 7 ; C 5, 1, 8, 8, 1, 4 ; V 6 ; P 12. 

 Plate XXXV, fig. 9, represents the female sex of Poecilia lineolata, size of life. Fig. 10, a 

 dorsal scale. Fig. 11, a scale from the abdominal region. 



List of specimens. 



Catal. No. of I Sex and 



I 



No. 



spec 



Age. 



Locality 



667 



3 



4 



Q Adult 





When 

 collected 



Whence obtained. 



Nature of 

 specimen. 





9 



Brownsville, Texas 

 Fort Brown, Texas. 



1853 

 1853 



Capt. Van Vliet. | Alcoholic . 



Major Emory do 



Collected by 



Capt. Van Vliet 



Jno. H. Clark 



LIMIA, Poey. 



The external row of acerated and incurved teeth, and the narrow band of velvet-like ones 

 which may be observed upon the jaws, are characters common to Poecilia as well as to Limia. 

 The caudal fin is likewise rounded off posteriorly in both the genera just alluded to. But 

 whilst the male sex of Poecilia differs from its female by an extraordinary development of the 

 dorsal fin, the male sex of Limia is distinguishable from its female by a narrower and much 

 more elongated anal fin. The ventral fins, in Limia, are inserted in advance of the anterior 

 margin of the dorsal, whilst the anal remains in a more backward position, with its posterior 

 margin projecting beyond that of the dorsal fin. 



1. LIMIA POECILOIDES, Grd. 





Spec. Char. 



Plate XXXVIII, Figs. 8—14. 



Body very much compressed, rather deep upon its middle ; the head constituting about the fourth of the total 

 length, the proportions varying somewhat, according to the sexes. The teeth of the external row are very slender and exiguous. 

 The dorsal fin is larger in the male than in the female ; its anterior margin is nearer the extremity of the snout than the 

 posterior edge of the caudal, which is convex. The anal fin, in the female, is larger than the dorsal, and inserted posteriorly 

 to the latter ; whilst in the male the same is situated opposite the middle region of the dorsal. The ventrals are very small in 

 both sexes, and inserted in advance of the anterior margin of the dorsal. The pectorals are rather short and broad. 



The color is reddish brown, apparently uniform in the female, whilst the male exhibits 

 transverse fascia of a darker hue. and a small 



blackish spot at the base of each s 



cale, 



n 



i 



r 







