262 PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Head 10| iu total length ; greatest depth of body 33. Length of 

 head and trunk 2| in total. Dorsal very low, beginning at a point 

 nearer gill opening- than vent, at a distance behind gill opening about 

 equal to length of head. Lateral line distinct. 



This species is evidentlj' distinct from the Myrophis found at Panama, 

 which Dr. Giinther calls Myrophis punctatus. This species has larger 

 head, larger mouth, longer pectorals, and the body more compressed, 

 etc. Myrophis microsUgmius Poey, from Cuba, is said to have the 

 dorsal inserted farther back. Kaup's description of M. longicoUis (= M. 

 punctatus), from Surinam, also indicates a species with a longer head; 

 but too little is known of that species to afford a comparisou with M. 

 lumbricus, M. microsUgmius, or the Panama sj)ecies, if that be really 

 different from M. punctatus Liitken. 



Three other eels, two of them Ophichthys, and the other perhaps an 

 OpMosoma, and all new to our coast, were obtained from stomachs of Eed 

 Snappers at Pensacola, but in such bad condition that they cannot be 

 identified. 



34. Anguilla rostrata (Le S.) DeKaj. — " Fresh -water eeV N. O. 

 Seen only in the New Orleans markets. 



35. Conger caudicula Beau, MSS. P. 



A species of Conger with the skin entirely digested was taken from 

 the stomach of a Eed Snapper. We were unable to distinguish its re- 

 mains from the common species. 



SCOMBERESOOID^. 



36. Tylosurus longirostris (Mitch.) J. & G.— Needle-fish. G.; P. (31010, G.) 

 {Beloiie scrutator Girard, U. S. Mex. Bound. Surv. 1859, 30, pi. siii.) 



Generally common ; rarely brought into the markets, although con- 

 sidered good eating. It is not tangibly different from the northern 

 form. 



37. Hemirhamphus unifasciatus Ranzani. G. (31027.) 

 (Eemirham2)hiis rohcrfi aud H. rkhardl C. & V. xix, 24, 26.) 



Generally common. 



38. ExocoBtus hillianus Gosse. P. (30866.) 



One fine specimen, 5^ inches long, from the " Snapper Banks" at Pen- 

 sacola. 



Color, back and sides to middle of base of pectoral dark green, thence 

 abruptly bright silvery, this shade covering the lower two-thirds of the 

 sides, belly, and sides of head. A rather faint purplish band from u])per 

 edge of i)ectoral base backward, parallel with back ; occiput, snout, sides 

 of head and silvery area on sides more or less flushed with pinkish 

 purple. Dorsal fin translucent, with a large black blotch covering upjier 

 part of first 6 rays; the fin with narrow white edging posteriorly; 



