DR. GtJNTHEE ON TILE 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. Heeos nicaeaguensis. (Plate LXXVII. fig. 1.) 

 Gunth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 153. 



D. ^. A. 8^. L. lat. 35. 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 Coryphfena-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, 6-| and 7 inches long, were collected by Capt. Dow in the Lake of 

 Nicaragua. 



Description. — Snout elevated ; prseorbital 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 tlie 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. I'AET VII. 3 s 



