FISHES. 249 



The dorsal region is yellowisla, covered witTi numerons purplish dots, so crowded on the mid- 

 dle line of the hack, and along the argentine surface of the flanks, as to appear upon these 

 regions like purplish vittaa. The flanks are uniformly silvery; the upper limits of the argen- 

 tine surface running straight from the upper part of opercle to near the origin of the upper 

 part of the base of the caudal fin. The opercular apparatus and sides of head are silvery like 

 the flanks. The fins are yellowish, the rays of the dorsal and caudal fins alternately spotted 

 greyish or hlackislr. 



Specimens of this species were caught in Oaldera hay, in the month of July. 

 Plate XXXI, fig. 5, represents EngrauUs ^yulchellus in profile, and size of life, 

 fig. 6, is an outline, viewed from above. c 



fig. 7, the head enlarged. 

 fig. 8, a scale from the dorsal region, 

 .fig. 9, a scale from the abdominal region. 

 Figs. 8 and 9 are magnified. 



FAMILY OF CHARACINI. 



Genus CHEIEODON, Girard. 



Gen. char. Body compressed; abdomen not serrated. Adipose fin present. Teeth upon the 

 maxillary, the intermaxillary, and the dentary disposed upon a single series along both jaws, 

 and dilated towards their edge, which exhibits generally five acute points. No canine. Palate 

 without teeth. Scales large. Gill openings large. Branchiostegal rays, three in number. 

 Pharyngeal teeth velvet-like, very minute. Dorsal fin situated between the ventrals and the 

 anal. 



Stn. Cheirodon, Grd. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 199. 



Obs. The form of the teeth bears a general resemblance to those of Astyanax, but it will be 

 remembered that in the last genus they are disposed in a double row on both the upper and 

 lower jaws. The dorsal fin in Cheirodon is placed opposite the space between the ventrals and 

 anal, whilst in Astyanax it is situated above the ventrals. 



CHEIRODON PISCICULUS, Girard. 

 Plate XXXIV, Figs. 4—7. 



Spec. char. Snout short and rounded; eye rather large. Maxillary teeth very small and few. 

 Dorsal fin higher than long. Caudal forked. Anal nearly as deep as long. Ventrals and 

 pectorals slender. Scales proportionally very large, higher than long. A silvery band along 

 the middle of the flanks, margined above with black. Fins unicolor, olivaceous. 



Syn. Cheirodon piscicuhis, Grd. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 199. 



Descr. a small fish of a rather short appearance, in spite of the slenderness of the peduncle 

 of the tail. The dorsal and ventral lines are equally arched, forming two opposite curves, 

 embracing the head, in a uniform outline. Thus the general profile has more of a subelliptical 

 than subfusiform aspect. The body is very much compressed. The greatest depth, measured 

 just above the insertion of the ventrals, is contained from three to four times in the total length ; 

 32* 



