ANGUILLID.E. 39 



snout. Teeth, short and blunt, and forming from four to six rows 

 in a broad dental surface. Vomer reaching to the fore angle of the 

 eye. The distance between the tip of the snout and pectoral is to 

 that between the pectoral and dorsal as 1 to I?. The greatly-deve- 

 loped pectoral generally exceeds the mandible in length, and is 

 more rarely only equal to it. 



Colour of the dorsal aspect, bright olive-green, with innumerable 

 black points. Ventral aspect and anal, yellowish. Outer side of 

 the pectoral, whitish; irregularly spotted and olive-coloured on the 

 inner side. Lips, spotted in front, and at the point almost black. 

 The largest specimen measures '21 07 in. The length of the tail 

 is IIG-J in. To the corner of the mouth, 83 in. To the pec- 

 toral, 2-80 in. To the dorsal, 709 in. Length of the pectoral, 

 0-91 in. This specimen was from " L'Orient," and was found among 

 the sea-wrack and fucus, portions of which were contained in its 

 stomach. It is both a marine and fresh-water species. 



77. Angutlla acutirostkis, fig. 27. 



Anguilla acutirostris, Kaiip. 



Anguille longbec, Cuvier, Regn. An. ii., p. 349. 



Anguilla acutirostris, Ya/T. Zool. Proc, 1831, pp. 133 and 159; 



Zool. Journ. iv., p. 469. 

 Sharp-nosed Eel, Yarr. Brit. Fish, ii., p. 284. 



A diameter of the eye is comprised twice in the length of the 

 snout, and stands over the corner of the mouth. Teeth, short, 

 pointed, not much crowded, and forming from three to five irre^fular 

 rows. Posterior vomerines running deeper into the mouth. Lips 

 moderately developed. Pectorals almost as long as the mandible. 

 The distance between the tip of the snout and the pectoral bears 

 a proportion to the space between the pectoral and dorsal of 1 : l^-. 



Colour of the upper aspect, olive-green, dotted ; of the ventral 

 surface, brighter. Lateral line, raised, its pores forming shortly 

 prominent white tubes. 



A specimen from the Elbe measures 19-29 in. Its tail, 10-84 

 in. To the corner of the mouth, 0-75 in. To the pectoral, 2-44 

 in. To the dorsal, 5-91 in. Length of pectoral, 87 in. 



A specimen of equal length with one of latirostris, exhibits the 

 following differences : — 



1. The eyes are smaller, and their diameter goes fully twice in 

 the length of the snout. They lie also somewhat nearer to the 

 forehead. 



2. The forehead is 012 in. narrower. 



3. Tlie jaw is 0-197 in. narrower at the corner of the mouth. 



4. The pectorals are 0-12 in. narrower. 



5. And the lips are 0-079 in. thinner. 



6. The teeth occupy a somewhat less breadth of surface ; but 

 the vomer is arched, and inwardly inclines more downwards. 



