CLASS PISCES. 525 



line dotted with whitish. It is not in much request 

 for the table. 



Mur. myrus, L. Rondel, 407 '. Has the form of a 

 conger, but is smaller ; it is known by spots on the 

 snout, a band across the occiput, and two rows of dots 

 on the nape ; all these are of a whitish colour 2 . 



In some foreign congers the dorsal fin commences 

 even before the pectorals, or at least at their base 3 . 



The 



Ophisurus, Lacep., 



Differs from the true eels in the dorsal and anal, 

 which cease before they reach the end of the tail, 

 which is thus deprived of a fin, and terminates 

 abruptly. The posterior orifice of the nostril opens 

 on the very edge of the upper lip, and the intestines 



1 Myrus, a fish so called by the ancients, which some have con- 

 sidered as the male of the Muraena ; Rondelet was the first who 

 applied it to this species, which is very distinct, although since 

 Willughby, no one has properly described it but Risso ; no drawing 

 has been made of it. 



2 The Mediterranean produces other small species of Congers 

 described by Laroche and Risso under the names of Mur. balearica, 

 Lar., Ann. du Mus., XIII. xx. 3. or Mur. cassini, Risso, Mur. 

 mystax. Lar., lb., XXIII. 10; Mur nigra, Risso, p. 93. The 

 Mur. strongylodon, Schn., 91. which is far from being a variety of 

 myrus, as that author supposes, should also be referred to them. 

 The Anguille marbree, Quoy and Gaym., Zool., Voy. de Freycin., 

 pi. li. f. 2. 



3 Mur. talabou, Russel, 38. ; Mur. savanna, Cuv., from Mar- 

 tinique ; the C. a chapelet, Krusenst., V. lx. 7. 



