64 A Guide to the Zoological Collections 



deep-sea fauna. The head is covered with a thick 

 glandular scaleless skin. Of the three Indian species 

 one is known to be, and all are believed to be, vivipar- 

 ous, and one also occurs in the Atlantic off the coast of 

 Brazil. 



Genus 11. Saccogaster. Another deep-sea genus, 

 viviparous like Diplacanthopoma, from which it chiefly 

 differs in dentition. 



Genus 12. Hephthocara. Another deep-sea and vivi- 

 parous form, resembling the two previous genera in 

 having the head covered by a peculiarly thick glandular 

 scaleless skin, but differing from them in being desti- 

 tute of ventral fins. 



Genus 13. Fierasfer. A curious eel-like shallow- water 

 genus of peculiar habits. In the Case containing the 

 Holotliuroidea, in the Invertebrate Gallery, is a dissec- 

 tion of a Holothurian with a fish of this genus in its 

 body-cavity. In life the Fierasfer is semi-parasitic on 

 the Holothurian, entering and leaving its host's body 

 through the cloaca, the wall of which it appears to 

 rupture. One species occurs in these seas, other species 

 being found in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and in 

 other parts of the Indo-Pacific. 



Genus 14. Bleekcria. Allied to the " Sand-eels " of 

 Europe. One species has been found on the Madras 

 Coast. 



Family III. Macrwridce [Case 42]. 



Like the majority of the Ophidiida, the Macruridce, 

 whether of India or elsewhere, are all inhabitants of the 

 cold waters of the deep sea. Their body ends in a long 

 lash-like tail, and in most of the species the scales are 

 keeled, or spiny, or both. The ventral fins are well 

 developed. Two genera are represented in Indian seas, 



