DE. GtJNTHER ON THE FISHES OP CENTRAL AMERICA. 381 



Marine localities. 



Belize. — All fishes Trom Belize were from the market, and were caught amongst the 

 coral reefs which line this coast. 



Caedon' Island. — Is situated at the mouth of the fine harbour of Realejo, in Nica- 

 ragua. Fishes were found at low tide in the pools amongst the rocks, and caught with 

 a landing-net. 



Chiapam. — The whole coast of Guatemala, bordering the Pacific Ocean, is studded 

 with a number of lagoons formed at the mouths of the numerous rivers which flow 

 down from the neighbouring mountains. All these rivers are charged with volcanic 

 sand, which is thro\A'n back by the heavy sui-f that rolls in on this coast. The body of 

 water brought do\vn during the dry season is often insufiicient to reduce this sandbar ; 

 and it frequently happens that all outlet to the sea is stopped. The accumulation of 

 water during the rainy season breaks this barrier; but it again forms when the water 

 subsides. About the period of the cessation of the rains the natives cut an artificial 

 channel, which, at first widening of itself, often remains open some months, each tide 

 bringing a great quantity of fishes into the lagoon, which are there netted by drag-nets. 

 The water is almost salt, but varies in this respect according to the size of the river 

 which enters it. A few fishes were also obtained by a hook and line from a canoe in 

 the open sea. 



LiBERTAD. — This is an open roadstead, the port of the City of San Salvador. Whilst 

 we were lying at anchor here a few fishes were caught with a hook and line. 



Panama. — Most of the fishes taken in the Bay of Panama were found in the pools 

 amongst the rocks at low tide. A reef running out from the town was an excellent 

 locality ; one spring tide Capt. Dow and I secured twenty-four species in the course of 

 half an hour. 



San Jose. — Is the port of Guatemala on the Pacific side ; a few fishes were caught 

 here in the open sea in a canoe. 



§ 3. Definition of the Boundaries of the Fauna treated of in this Memoir. 



Although we may presume that our account contains a tolerably complete list of the 

 species inhabiting the localities visited, particularly as on several occasions poison (the 

 best means for securing a complete series of the fishes of a certain locality) was resorted 

 to, yet there is still a wide field for future explorers in a country where several forms 

 (such as fferos, Pimelodus, and the Cyprinodontes) are so much developed and specialized. 

 Of the fishes of Yucatan we still know absolutely nothing. The list of the marine fishes 

 of the Atlantic coast will, without doubt, be considei-ably swelled, as the gentlemen 

 mentioned paid much less attention to the Atlantic marine fauna (which would have 

 yielded comparatively few novelties) than to the freshwater fauna. And knowing how 

 little advantage is derived from, and how much confusion is caused by, receiving into a 



' This name is misspelt " Cardova " in several places in the 3rd volume of the ' Catalogue of Fishes.' — A. G. 



