MALACOPTERYGII APODES. 259 



have escaped the notice of observers. They connect the Eels with 

 the Mursensej their teeth are obtuse. (l) 



MuRiENA, Thunb. Gymnothorax, B1. Mur^nophis, Lacep. 

 The Mursenae, properly so called, have no vestige of pectorals? 

 their branchiae open on each side by a small holej 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 

 MuraenopMs of Lacepede. 



Some of them have a single row of sharp teeth in each jaw. The 

 most celebrated is 



M. helena, L. ; Bl., 153. Common in the Mediterranean; a 

 fish much esteemed by the ancients, who fed it in ponds ex- 

 pressly constructed for that purpose. The history of Vsedius 

 Pollio, who caused his transgressing slaves to be flung alive 

 into these ponds as food for the Muraenae, is well known. It 

 attains a length of three feet and more, is mottled with brown 

 and yellowish, and is excessively voracious. (2) 

 Others have two rows of sharp teeth in each jaw, independently of 

 the one on the vomer. (3) 



In a third kind there are two rows of round or conical teeth in 

 each jaw: such is 



M. unicolor, Laroche, Ann. Mus., XIII, xxv, 15; M. Christini, 

 Risso. From the Mediterranean; everywhere covered with 

 close, small, brown points or lines, which give it the appear- 

 ance of being uniformly brown. (4) 

 We find some which have a single row of lateral round teeth, and 

 two rows also round on the vomer, the anterior ones conical.(5) 



(1) Mur. coluhrina, Bodd., or annulata, Thunb., or Murenophis colubrina, Lac, 

 V, xix, 1; Mur. fasciata, Thunb.; Mur. nob. maculosa, given under the name of 

 Ophisurus aphis, Lacep., II, vi, 2; the Oph. atfernan, Quoy et Gayin., Zool. Frey- 

 cin., pi. 45, f. 2. 



(2) Add, the M. moringa, Cuv., of the Antilles, Catesb., II, xxi; M. punctata, 

 Bl., Schn.; 7k?. mdeagris, Sh. or M. pintade, Quoy et Gaym., Voy. Freycin., pi. 

 52, f. 2;M. Parthenon, Id., lb., f. 2;M. favaginea, lil.. Schn., 105; il/. pan' 

 therine, Lacep., or M.picta, Thunb erg. 



(3) Murenophis gris, Lacep., V, xix, 3. 



(4) The other species are new. 



(5) Murenophis HoiU, Lacep., ov M. ne6u/osff, Thunb., Seb. II, Ixix, 1; M. 

 ondul^, hsic, V, xix, 2 {M. catcnatus, Bl. SchnJ; M. sordida, Cuv., Seb. 11, 

 Ixix, 4. 



