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Show 390 MR. C. TATE REGAN ON [Apr. 10, bands of small pointed teeth, with an outer series of enlarged teeth ; on each side of the lower jaw 1 or 2 teeth of the outer series 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 dorsal fin; rays increasing 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 nearly to the origin of anal. Caudal rounded 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 posterior edge of the fin. Olivaceous or greenish above; sides with bright green or blue longitudinal stripes alternating with series of dark red spots along the rows of scales ; vertical fins usually orange ; dorsal with 3 or 4 series of small dark spots; anal with 2 or 3 series of very small dai-k spots on its basal part, often with a narrow dark edge ; caudal often with a blackish ocellus on the upper part of its base, sometimes with undulating stria? or series of spots, sometimes with a dark edge. Here described from 3 specimens, 60-85 m m . 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 expressed as to their identity with the Fundulus micropus Steind. of the Rio Negro was well founded, as these specimens show want of agreement with Dr. Steindachner's description in several important 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, through their powers of leaping. They travel overland during wet weather. Very active and voracious; a female kept in an aquarium swallowed two good-sized ' Belly-fish' (Girardinus guppyi), 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 receives 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 river. They save a deal of trouble by consuming the mosquito worms. |