220 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
seined near the railroad bridge. There are several dry beds of tributaries in the 
neighborhood. At Herradura a small creek, 5 feet across and with banks 20 feet deep, 
was crossed. No fishing was attempted. 
Between Las Ovas and Golpe were ponds with white water-lilies*. No fishing 
was attempted here. 
The Rio del Pinar is, at the town of the same name, a broad shallow stream with 
alternating riffles, pools, and weedy patches. Collections were made above and 
below the wagon road near the ice factory. 
The Rio Cuy agnate je is the most western river of any size that flows to the 
south. Collections were made near Sumidero. The river near this town tunnels 
twice through rocky walls several hundred feet high, and in one instance probably 
not much more than 200 feet thick, and in the other probably several times as thick. 
The Almendares River is a deep and swift stream about 40 feet wide emptying 
into the ocean near Mabana. It was scarcely possible to seine in the river itself. 
Collections were made above and below a dam at Calabazar and in a small tributary 
just above the dam at Calabazar. The temperature was not taken at the time of 
seining. A few days later it was 25° at Vento. 
The Ariguanabo is of special interest, inasmuch as it is one of the rivers that 
disappears in a cave. Collections were made just above its entrance to the cave. It 
is a clear, swift stream running through the town of San Antonio de los Banos. 
Above the town a dam at the ice factory has deepened the water so that a small 
steamer can run up to Laguna Ariguanabo. At the time of our visit the river was 
for a long distance above the town blocked with water hyacinths and other water 
plants. A much smaller though similar brook which runs through Guanajay also 
disappears in the ground several miles below the town. No attempt was made at 
seining. 
Collections were also made in the outlet of the Yumuri at Matanzas, but we did 
not succeed in ascending to fresh water, and no fresh-water fishes were secured. 
We ascended the San Juan River from Matanzas to the head of tide water, where 
a shallow ford occurs. Collections were made in the ford, above and below the ford, 
and in pools of spring water. Immediately above the ford the surface of the stream 
was covered with water hyacinths, and the stream was 4 and more feet deep. *At 
the ford the water had a maximum depth of about L8 inches, and in places formed 
shallow riffles. Below the ford the banks become steep and the water is too deep 
for a collecting seine. 
PECULIARITIES AND ORIGIN OF THE CUBAN FISH FAUNA. 
There are recorded in the present paper 36 species and subspecies. These belong 
to 25 genera and 13 families. A number of other species have been taken in the 
same region, notably Lepisosteus tristcechus. Of the 37 species and subspecies (includ- 
ing the last-named species) but 4, aside from members of the Gobiidae , are found in 
fresh water elsewhere. They are the species of Lepisosteus , Symbranchus , Acjgnos- 
tomus , and Anguilla. Lepisosteus tristcechus is found in the fresh waters of Mexico 
and the southern United States. Symbranchus marmoratus is generally distributed 
through the fresh waters of the tropics of America, Anguilla chrysypa is also found 
