390 MR. C. TATE REGAX ON [Apr. 10, 



bands of small pointed teetli, with an outer series of enlarged 

 teeth ; on each side of the lower jaw 1 or 2 teeth of the oviter sei'ies 

 are stronger than the others, curved, canine-like. 40-42 scales 

 in a longitudinal series. Dorsal 8-9, rounded, the longest rays 

 |-| the length of head. Anal 15-17, commencing at a point 

 equidistant from tip of snout and extremity of caudal, ending 

 below the middle or posterior part of the doi'sal fin; rays in- 

 creasing in length posteriorly. Pectoral about | the length of 

 head or of the distance from its base to the base of ventrals. 

 Ventrals 6-rayed, extending neai'l}' to the origin of anal. Caudal 

 I'ounded or subtruncate, a little shorter than the head ; outer rays 

 gradually increasing in length, several terminating at the upper 

 and lower edges and comparatively few at the postei-ior edge of 

 the fin. Olivaceous or greenish above ; sides with bright green or 

 blue longitudinal stripes alternating with series of dai-k red spots 

 along the i-ows of scales ; vertical fins usually orange ; dorsal with 

 3 or 4 series of small dark spots ; anal with 2 oi- 3 series of very 

 small dai'k spots on its basal part, often with a narrow dai-k edge ; 

 caudal often with a blackish ocellus on the upper part of its base, 

 sometimes with undulating strife or series of spots, sometimes 

 with a dark edge. 



Here described from 3 specimens, 60-85 mm. in total length, 

 from Trinidad. 



Three much smaller specimens from Trinidad and "Venezuela 

 were described by Dr. Giinther under the name Rivulus micro- 

 pus. The doubt which he expi'essed as to their identity with 

 the Fundulns mio'opus Steind. of the Rio Negro was well 

 founded, as these specimens show want of agi-eement with 

 Dr. Steindachner's description in sevei-al impoi-tant respects. 



" Found everywhere and the sole occupants of the large pools 

 worn out of the solid rock by the rapid descent of the water in a 

 series of cascades. They are able to reach these mountain pools, 

 which are often situated at considerable elevations, thi'ough their 

 powers of leaping. They travel overland during wet weather. 

 Very active and voracious ; a female kept in an aquarium swal- 

 lowed two good-sized ' Belly-fish ' {Girardinus gxqypyi), alive and 

 entire, one after the other. They always jump out of any 

 vessel in which they are placed, and if the sides are too high to 

 clear at one leap they can stick on with their fan-like tails and 

 leap higher; when about to leap, or to make an attack, they bend 

 their backs and drop the dorsal fin." 



26. Girardinus guppyi Gthr. (Plate XXII. fig. 1.) 

 " Belly-fish." 



" This fish I'eceives its name from the fact that the females 

 usually have the abdomen distended with young. It is very 

 plentiful, especially in such places as the ' Dry River,' at Belmont, 

 a suburb of Port-of-Spain, where they swarm in the filthy soapy 

 water that drains from the yards of the .dwellings along the i-iver. 

 They save a deal of trovible by consuming the mosquito worms. 



