DR. GtJNTHEE ON THE FISHES OF CENTRAL AMERICA. 425 



54. Larimus breviceps. 



Larimus breviceps, Cuv. & Val. v. p. 146, pi. 111. Giinth. Fish. ii. p. 268. 

 Amblyscion argenteus, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1864, p. 165. 



Having recently received a fine example of this fish from Panama through Capt. Dow, 

 I have convinced myself that the Pacific examples are not specifically, much less 

 generically, distinct from West-Indian ones. 



56. MiCROPOGON ALTIPINNIS. 



Gunth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 149. 



D. lOJ^. A. 2/7. L. lat. 48-50. L. transv. 7/15. 



The height of the body is contained thrice and tvpo-thirds in the total length (without 

 caudal), the length of the head thrice and a half The maxillary extends scarcely 

 beyond the vertical from the anterior margin of the eye. A series of five minute 

 barbels along each side of the mental groove. Two short, strong, divergent spines at 

 the angle of the preeoperculum. The third and fourth dorsal spines are long, their 

 length being three-fifths of that of the head ; anal spine of moderate strength, not quite 

 one-fourth of the length of the head. Nearly uniform silvery. 



Two specimens were procured by Mr. Salvin — one, 17 inches long, at Chiapam, and 

 another, 14 inches long, at Sau Jose ; a third specimen, 4^ inches long, was found by 

 Capt. Dow at Panama : this agrees in every other respect with the older examples, but 

 of the minute barbels only a trace of the anterior (longest) pair is visible ; so that it 

 appears that this generic (!) character is developed with age. 



57. Umbrina elongata. (PL LXIV. fig. 2.) 

 Giinth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 148. 



D. 10 1 i A. 1/7. L. lat. 70. L. transv. 7/22. 



The height of the body is contained four times and a third in the total length (without 

 caudal), and five times if the caudal is included ; the length of the head is two-sevenths 

 of the total, or one-fourth if the caudal is included. The depth of the head is contained 

 once and three-fourths in its length. Snout long ; the diameter of the eye is two-fifths 

 of the length of the snout, and one-fourth of the postorbital part of the head. Sym 

 physial barbel very short, as long as the posterior nostril. Praeoperculum without 

 distinct serrature. The length of the second dorsal spine is one-half of that of the 

 head. Posterior margin of the caudal /-shaped, the upper lobe being pointed, the 

 lower rounded ; anal spine very feeble. The maxillary extends to the vertical from the 

 anterior margin of the orbit. Upper parts blackish, shining silvery, the lower white. 



One specimen, 17 inches long, was found by Mr. Salvin at Chiapam. 



VOL. VI. — part VII. 



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