MALACOPTERYGII APODES, 261 







aperture under the throat, common to both sides; no pectorals; ver- 

 tical fins almost wholly adipose. The head is thick, the snout round- 

 ed, teeth obtuse, and the opercula partly cartilaginous; six strong 

 branchial rays. The intestinal canal is perfectly straight; the only 

 distinction between it and the stomach is, that the latter is a little 

 more ample and has a valve at the pylorus. There is a long and 

 narrow natatory bladder, but not caecum. From the seas of hot cli- 

 mates.(l) 



Alabes, Cuv. 



A common branchial aperture under the throat, as in Synbranchus; 

 but the pectorals are Avell marked, and between them is a little con- 

 cave disk. A small operculum and three rays are distinguishable 

 through the skin; the teeth pointed, and the intestines as in syn- 

 branchus. 



But a single small species is known; it inhabits the Indian 

 Ocean. 



It is immediately after this great genus of the MursensB 

 that should be placed a newly discovered iishj which is one 

 of the most singular of the whole class ; I mean the 



SaccopharynXj Mitch. Ophiognathus, Harvvood. 



Whose trunk, susceptible of being so inflated as to resemble a thick 

 tube, terminates in a very long and slender tail, surrounded by an 

 extremely low dorsal and anal which unite at its point. The mouth, 

 armed Avith sharp teeth, opens far behind the eyes, which are placed 

 close to the very short point of the snout. The branchial aperture 

 consists in a hole under the pectorals, which are very small. 



This fish attains a large size, and appears to be voracious. It has 

 only been seen in the Atlantic Ocean, floating on the surface by the 

 dilatation of its throat.(2) 



Gymnotus, Lin. (3) 

 The gills partly closed by a membrane, as in Anguilla, but opening 



(1) Synbranchus mdrmoratus, Bl., 418; Synh. invmaculatus. Id. 419, Unibranch. 

 cachla, Buchan., XVI, 4, Dondoo-paum, Russel, XXXV, has no appearance of a fin. 



(2) The Saccopharynx Jlagellum of Mitchill was six feet in length, and the 

 Ophiognathus ampullaceus of Harwood was four and a half. The first appeared 

 to have no teeth in the lower jaw, and it is possible that these two fishes, al- 

 though found in the same latitude, are different species; they evidently, how- 

 ever, belong to the same genus. 



(3) Gymnotus, or, properly speaking, Gymnonotus (Bare-back), a name given 

 to these fishes by Artedi. 



