OPHISURIDiLi. 6 



flesh-coloured, with 10 bhiish-black pores on the snout and about 

 the eyes; 5 in an arch on the occiput; 7 on the under jaw; and 

 about 1 50 on the sunken lateral line. On the edge of the upper 

 lip, there are two tags of skin. The dorsal fin extends forwards as 

 far as the point of the pectoral, and is brownish, with longitudinal 

 black stripes, grizzled with white. The anal fin is similarly 

 marked. 



Total length, 28 in. Length of tail, 15-4 in. ; of head, 1-3 in. 

 Length of snout to the corner of the mouth, 0-71 in. Length from 

 tip of snout to the gill-opening, 2-5!i in. The pectoral, which has 

 12 rays, measures 0'75 in. The dorsal and anal fins are respec- 

 tively 0-89 in. high. 



Canton (Brit. Mus.), Madagascar, and Vanikoro (Quoy and Gaim. 

 Par. Mus.). 



3. CENTRCROPHrS REMICAUDUS. 



Ophisurus remicaudus, Par. Mus. 



On the forepart of the head, there are .small, deep scars. No 

 skin-tags on the edge of the upper lip. Eyes large, near the angle 

 of the mouth. The dorsal fin commences at a moderate distance 

 from the tip of the pectoral. Dorsal and anal fins defined by 

 whitish and brownish spots on their roots. The colour of the body 

 down to the belly, is brownish, with numerous dark specks. The 

 under parts are more dotted with gray. Pectoral fin whitish, with 

 brownish dots. On the occiput, there is a transverse line of small 

 whitish warts. 



Length up to the angle of the mouth, 0'59 in. Length of pec- 

 toral fin, 075 in. Length down to the gill-opening, 1-62 in. 

 Down to the anus, 8'27 in. Length of the tail, 9'70 in. Diameter 

 of the eye, 020 in. 



In the Paris Museum, there are two specimens collected by 

 Bibron, in Sicily. 



4. Centrueophis baxgko. 



Ophisurus bangko, Bleeker, Add. zu Murcen. 



Having 5 nasal teeth, whereof 4 stand in two rows; 28 teeth on 

 the palatine bone ; 34 on the vomer, disposed in two ranks. On 

 the mandible, 36 teeth. 



The length of the head is contained nine or ten times in the entire 

 length of the fish, or three times and a half in the length to the 

 anus;* while the length of the snout is at least twice that of the 

 diameter of the eye. On the upper lip, there is a papilla, and the 

 lateral line is sunken. Dorsal fin commencing one-third or one- 

 fourth of the length of the head beyond the gill-opening ; it is 



• Drs. Bleeker and Cantor measure the head fioin the tip of the snout to the 

 gill-opening. 



