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Show 1906.] FRESH-WATER FISHES OF TRINIDAD. 379 notes on the habits and the life-coloration of these fishes, and a set of beautifully executed water-colour drawings made by himself, some of which have been reproduced by Mr. Green to illustrate this paper. Mr. Guppy's collecting was done in the northern part of the island, and most of the fish were taken on the Streatham Lodge Estate in muddy streams draining into the Caroni River, flowing through narrow ravines in which there is a considerable growth of rank grass. In times of drought these streams form a series of almost isolated pools. The Caroni River has a fair current ; during heavy rains it overflows its banks and the surrounding country is swamped; floods extending for miles round sometimes occur in the wet season, the egress of water from the river being checked by the high tides caused by the quantity of water poured into the Gulf of Paria by the Orinoco. Mr. A. J. Pasea, of Streatham Lodge Estate, accompanied Mr. Guppy on all his expeditions, put his seine nets and trained labour at his disposal, and gave him the benefit of his experience as to the best localities to fish in, while Mr. Balfour, of Frederick Estate, lent him a boat for use on the Caroni. Assistance was also given in various ways by Dr. Tulloch, Sir C. C. Knollys, the Hon. S. W . Knagg, and Sir A. Maloney. To all of these gentlemen, and especially to Mr. Pasea, Mr. Guppy wishes to express his gratitude. I have prepared a key to the fishes which have so far been recorded from the fresh-waters of Trinidad, and I follow it with a list arranged in systematic order, with extracts from Mr. Guppy's notes, and with full descriptions of those species which are not well known. Whenever possible I have placed the extracts from Mr. Guppy's notes in inverted commas. Synopsis of the Species of Fresh-wetter Fishes so far recorded from Trinidad. I. Body scaly; ventral fins present, abdominal; fins without spines. A. N o adipose fin. 1. Mouth small; teeth unicuspid. Anal fin with 15-17 rays 25. Haplochilus harti. Anal fin with 8-9 rays 26. Girardinus guppyi. 2. Mouth large; teeth conical. Dorsal fin with 13-15 rays. 38-40 scales in a longitudinal series 1. Macrodon trahira. Dorsal fin with 10-11 rays. 32-33 scales in a longitudinal series 2. Erythrinus unitceniatus. 3. Mouth small; teeth compressed, notched or denticulated. 3. Corynopoma riisii. B. A n adipose fin. 1. Teeth well developed, compressed, notched or denticulated. a. Pram axillary teeth in a double series. a. Lateral line complete. * Depth of body 3-3£ in the length. Diameter of eye § the length of head (in specimens of 60- 65 mm.) 4. Tetragonopterus tteniurus. Diameter of eye }-§ the length of head (in specimens of 65- 85 mm.) 5. T. guppyi. |