260 PISCES. 



Another has two rows of lateral round teeth, and four rows, also 

 round, on the vomer, forming a kind of pavement. The fins of this 

 species are scarcely apparent. (l) 



Finally, there are others which have several rows of teeth resem- 

 bling those of a card: such is 



M. saga^ Risso, Ed. I, f. 39. From the Mediterranean; re- 

 markable for its elongated, round and pointed jaws, and the ex- 

 tension of its tail into a very sharp point. (2) The 



Sphagebranchus, B1. 



Differs from a Mursena by the approximation of the branchial 

 openings on the throat. The vertical fins, in several species, only 

 begin to project near the tail; the snout is extended and pointed. 

 The stomach is a long cul-de-sac, the intestine straight, and the 

 bladder long, narrow and placed behind. 



Some species are totally deprived of pectorals. (3) 



Others have small vestiges of them. (4) 



There are even some, the Apterichthes, Dumer., Cecilia, La- 

 cep., in which no vertical fin whatever can be perceived, and conse- 

 quently are Fishes without fins. (5) , 



MoNOPTERus, Commers. and Lacep. 



The two branchial apertures united on the throat in a transverse 

 fissure, divided in the middle by a partition; the dorsal and anal only 

 visible in the middle of the tail, and uniting at its point; teeth like 

 those of a card in the jaws and palatines; six rays in each gill, and 

 only three very small branchiae. 



M. javanensis, Lacep. The only species known; back green 

 and a fawn-coloured belly. From the Sunda islands. (6) 



Synbranchus, B1, Unibranchaperturus, Lacep. 

 The branchial opening consisting of a single round or longitudinal 



(1) Gymnomurene cerclee, Lacep. V, xix, 4, or M. zebra, Shaw, Seb. II, Ixx, 3. 



(2) The Nettasoma melanura, Rafin., Caratt, pi. xvi, f. 1, is at least closely 

 allied to this Saga of lUsso. N.B. The Dalophis of Rafinesque, Caratt., pi. vii, f. 

 2, 3, should be edentated Murxnae, but we do not know them. 



(3) Sphagebranchus rostratus, Bl. 419, 2, and the Leptocephalus Spallanzani, 

 Risso, 85; Cxcula pterygea, Vahl., Mem. d'hist. Nat. de Copenh. Ill, siii, 1, 2, 

 Manti'huharopaumu, Russel, I, 37. 



(4) Sphagebranchus imberbis, Laroche, Ann. Mas., XIII, xxv, 18. 



(5) Muraena cxca, L., Laroche, Ann., Mus. XIII, xxi, 6. 



(6) I suspect it is the same fish figured by Lacep. V, xvii, 3, under the differ- 

 ent name of Unibranchaperture lisse. 



