54 Zoological Society. 



having been unfortunately destroyed by the wasting of the alcohol in 

 which it was kept. 



Fam. Gadid^. 



13. Phycis furcatus, Flem. (not Bowdich) ; Yarr. Brit. Fish, 

 ed. 1. ii. 201. {Le Merlus barhu, Duham. Cuv. R. An. ed. 2. 

 ii. p. 335.) 



A single example occurred May 8, 1845 ; not quite agreeing with 

 the figure in the * British Fishes/ yet certainly distinct from the com- 

 mon "Abrotea" of Madeira (P. mediterraneus, Lar.), of which, on 

 the other hand, the P. furcatus of Bowdich (Excurs. p. 122. f. 28) 

 was unquestionably a mere accidentally fork-tailed individual. 



Fam. ECHENEIDiE. 



14. EcHENEis viTTATA, Suppl. to Syuops. in Trans. Zool. Soc. 

 vol. iii. part 1. p. 17, and Hist. Fish. Mad. p. 77. t. 11. 



The acquisition of an adult example measuring 2 feet Q\ inches in 

 length, has proved the fish above described to have been a young in- 

 dividual of ^. vittata, Riippell (Neu. Wirbel. p. 82). It is fortunate 

 that the happy coincidence of name necessitates no change or con- 

 fusion in rendering justice to my learned friend's prior claim in the 

 establishment of this well-marked species. The lateral dark band or 

 vitta becomes indistinct in adult individuals. In the large full-grown 

 example above mentioned it had disappeared entirely. 



Fam. MuR^NiDJE. 



Gen. Leptorhynchus, nob. 



Gen. Char. Caput scolopaciforme, callo elongato distinctum ; 

 maxillis in rostrum tenue productis, utraque dentibus minutissi- 

 mis limcB instar scabra ; rictupone oculos diducto. Nares oculis 

 contiguce approximatce, simplices nee tentaculatce. Oculi magni. 

 Corpus nudum anguilliforme compressum, gracile, elongatum ; 

 postice longissime attenuato-productum filiforme, apice aeuto. 

 Aperturse branchiales sat magncB, ante pinnas pectorales ob- 

 lique deorsumfissce. YixmBi pectorales distinctcB lanceolatce, sat 

 magnce ; pinna dorsali ad nucham paullo ante, anali ad gulam 

 paullo post pinnas pectorales incipiente ; utraque usque ad api- 

 cem caudce continuata, membranacea^ nee cute cooperta, sed ra- 

 diis sat validis distinctis. ^ 



15. Leptorhynchus Leuchtenbergi. {The Snipe-Eel.) 



I am indebted for an opportunity of describing this interesting new 

 type of Murcenidce to the favour of His Imperial Highness the Due 

 de Leuchtenberg, to whom an example was brought by a fisherman 

 in January last. It approaches the Anguillidce by its well-developed 

 pectoral fins. The prolonged beak-like muzzle also reminds one of 

 that of Leptognathus, Swainson. The unique individual examined, 

 which measured 2 feet 9 inches in length, scarcely half an inch in 

 height, and four lines in thickness, is included in the extensive col- 



