CLASS PISCES. 527 



small hole ; their opercula are so thin, and their 

 branchiostegal rays so slender and concealed under 

 the skin, that able naturalists have denied their 

 existence. The stomach is a short sac, and the 

 natatory bladder small, oval, and placed near the 

 upper part of the abdomen. 



Those species which have a very visible dorsal and 

 anal, are the Murcenophis of Lacepede. 



Some of them have a single row of sharp teeth in 

 each jaw. 



The most celebrated is 



Mur. helena, L., Bl. 153. (the common mursena). 

 A fish very much extended in the Mediterranean, and 

 for which the ancients had a very high esteem. They 

 reared them in vivaria, and the story of Vedius Pollio 

 has been frequently repeated, who caused his offend- 

 ing slaves to be thrown to his eels. This fish reaches 

 the length of three feet or more. It is altogether mar- 

 bled with brown and yellow. Its bite is often severe 1 . 



Others have sharp teeth in two ranks in each jaw, 

 independently of a rank to the vomer 2 . 



Others have conical or round teeth on two ranks 

 to each jaw, and such is, in the Mediterranean, 



M. imicolora, Laroche, Ann. Mus. XIII. xxv. 15., 



1 Add the Moringa of the Antilles (M. Mor'inga, Cuv.), Catesb. 

 II. xxi. ; M. punctata, Bl., Schn. ; M. Meleagris, Sh., or M. pin- 

 tade, Quoy and Gaym., Zool. de Freyc. pi. lii. f. 2. ; M. pratber- 

 non, id. ib. f. 2.; M. favaginea, BL, Schn. 105.; M. pantherine, 

 Lac., or M. picta, Thunberg. 



2 Murenophis gris, Lac. V. xix. 3. 



