536 ORDER MALACOPTERYGII APODES. 



terminate the body in a point ; this body, moreover, 

 is elongated and compressed, which has caused it to 

 be compared to a sword, and covered like that of the 

 eels, with small scales, irregularly distributed, through 

 the thickness of the skin. But these fishes differ from 

 the eels by having very open gills, provided with a 

 very apparent operculum, and a membrane with 

 short rays. Their dorsal rays are articulated, but 

 not branched. 



Ophidium, or the Donzelles proper, 



Bear, under the throat, two pairs of small barbels 

 adhering to the point of the hyoid bone. 



There are two in the Mediterranean. 



Ophidium barbatum, Bl. 59. (common donzelle\ 

 Flesh-coloured, with the dorsal and anal bordered 

 with black. The anterior barbels shorter; at the 

 most, eight or ten inches in length. 



Oph. Vassalli, Risso, (brown donzelle). Brown ; no 

 border to the fins ; the barbels equal. The stomach 

 of these fishes is a thin oblong sac ; their intestines 

 tolerably plicated, are without cceca. Their air- 

 bladder, oval, pretty large, and very thick, is sup- 

 ported by three peculiar osseous pieces, suspended 

 under the first vertebrae, and the middle one of which 

 is moved by some muscles proper to itself. Their 

 flesh is agreeable. 



We are acquainted with a third species from Brazil,, 

 Oph. brevibarbe, Cuv., brown, with shorter barbels; 

 and there is one in the south seas very large, rose- 



