VOL. XVII, pp. 121-122 J UNE 9, 1904 



PROCEEDINGS 



THK 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF BLIND EEL, 

 OF THE GENUS ANGUILLA. 



BY HUGH M. SMITH. 



[Contribution from U. S. Bureau of Fisheries.] 



On July 31, 1902, during a cruise of the schooner Grampus 

 to the tile-fish grounds lying on the inner edge of the Gulf 

 Stream, the writer collected at the surface, 60 miles south of 

 Nomaiis Land, a small eel which represents a hitherto un 

 known species of Angwlla, and is here diagnosed and figured. 



Anguilla caeca Smith, new species. 



Similar to the common eel, Anguilla chrisypa Rafinesque, but with the 

 head and snout somewhat broader, the mandible longer and more project 

 ing, the eyes completely covered by skin and the body uniformly black. 

 Body cylindrical anteriorly, compressed posteriorly, the depth contained 

 2.7 times in length of head ; head about .12 total length ; mouth large, 

 lower jaw strongly projecting ; teeth small, in a band in each jaw, a small 

 patch also on vomerine; anterior nostrils tubular, posterior nostrils simple 

 pits in front of eye ; a large pore on each side half-way between nostrils, 

 and a row of large pores on each side of lower jaw; branchial aperture 

 vertical, about length of base of pectoral, extending below base of pectoral ; 

 pectoral fins well developed, .25 length of head; dorsal origin posterior to 

 gill-opening a distance equal to 1.6 length of head; anal origin posterior to 

 dorsal a distance equal to .66 length of head. Scales not evident. Skin 

 uniformly jet black ; fins dark reddish brown by transmitted light ; skin 

 -over eyes not appreciably thinner than elsewhere. Eyes about as large as 

 19 PROC. BIOL . Soc. WASH . VOL. XVII, 1904. (121) 



