PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 357 



ill a short flexible tip. Snout projecting much beyond the mouth ; the 

 form and position of the mouth and snout and the position of the nos- 

 trils giving a physiognomy remarkably shark-like. Cleft of the mouth 

 oblique, somewhat curved downwards and backwards posteriorly. Teeth 

 all small, pointed, their tips directed backward ; apparently in about one 

 series in each jaw and a narrow band on the vomer. Lower jaw ante- 

 riorly pointed, incapable of much motion. Width of lower jaw between 

 angles of mouth. If in its length. Length of snout from eye, If in 

 length of cleft of mouth. Cleft of mouth 4 in head. 



Anterior nostrils without tube, posterior each in a short tube; both 

 pairs on the lower side of the snout. Eyes minute, but evident, some- 

 what behind the vertical from the front of the lower jaw. 



Gill-openiugs ventral, close together in front, slightly divergent be- 

 liind, the slits about as long as snout. Lateral line conspicuous. 



Head 5 in head and trunk; head and trunk 1^ in tail. 



Color uniform plain brown; the head slightly paler and mottled. 



The specimen is a female full of ova; the ovaries extend backward in 

 the abdominal ca\'ity far behind vent. 



14. Ophichthys miurus, sp. nov. 



2304. Three specimens, in good condition, the largest about a foot 

 long. 



Body moderately elongate. Head long and slender, anteriorly pointed. 

 Lower jaw included; cleft of mouth 21 in head. 



Teeth all slender and pointed, directed backwards, most of them not 

 depressible, those of the upper jaw in two widely separated series, those 

 of the inner series largest, slender and close-set. Vomer with a median 

 series of about 4 slender teeth. Lower jaw with a single series of rather 

 long, slender teeth, wide apart, larger than the teeth of the upper jaw, 

 but smaller than those of the vomer. 



Snout very short, nearly twice the length of eye, 4 times in cleft of 

 mouth. Eyes small, placed high and well forward. Nostrils without 

 tubes. Lateral line conspicuous. Gill-openings small, placed very low, 

 separated by an intersiiace, less than the length of one slit, which is 

 about as long as snout. 



Pectoral fin very small, pointed, about as long as snout. Gill-open- 

 ing midway between tip of snout and beginning of dorsal. Fins very 

 low; tip of tail pointed. Tail unusually short. Head of in head and 

 trunk. Tail If in rest of body, a little shorter tha,n trunk without head. 



Coloration light yellowish; a series of roundish dark brown blotches 

 on each side of body, the two series alternating; a series of small half- 

 blotches on the back, these also mostly alternating. Head covered with 

 small spots; dark spots on sides of lower jaw; fins all pale. 



This would be a species of '■'■ Hcrpetoiclitliys'''' in Dr. Kaup's arrange- 

 ment. 



