C'aNCiERID.E. 117 



The length of Uie suimL find tlie dentition vary with age in this 

 species ; but the head is never so nuich elongated as in pristis. 

 When its jaws are shut, the front ujundibular teeth are concealed, 

 which is never the case whh. pristis. After examining a great num- 

 ber of Indian specimens, I have come to the conclusion that the 

 so-called species which 1 have ranged as synonyms of bcKjio, are 

 merely nominal. 



Chiiiese and Indian seas and estuaries. 



205. MuKvKNESOX SAVANNA, tig. 74. 

 Conger savanna, Cuv. Paris Museum. 

 La Savanne de Martinique, Cuv. Eer/n. An. II. 

 Conger limbatus, Casteliwau. 



The skin of the e.xceediiigly broad snout is rendered uneven by 

 pits, which vanish towards tlje belly. A row of pores, running up 

 before the eye to the forehead, makes there a sharp angular inflec- 

 liou, and talves its course to the fore nostril-tube. The diameter of 

 the eye measures less than half the length of the snout. Tlie longest 

 teeth are two pairs of nasals, and the correspondiug mandibulars. 

 The vomeriues, together with the principal row of palatines, and 

 the mandibulars, are compressed laterally and rounded at the point. 

 All the rest of the teeth are very short and blunt. The flus are 

 greatly developed. 



Rays: Br. 17; D. 237. 



South America (Museums of London, Paris, and Leydeu). 



The following species require to be more closely examined in 

 order to ascertain their true position. 



200 ? CONGRUS CURVIDKNS, Piicll. 



Congrus curvidens, Eich., Ereh. S Terr. p. 111. 



Nasal teeth stoutly subulate, stronger than in other species, 

 ranged in a cluster without order, the tallest in the middle, fol- 

 lowed on the mesial line by 4 minute round ones in two rows, 

 which may be considered as the anterior vomerine ones. The 

 mesial row of tricuspid vomerine teeth, placed on the ridge of tlie 

 bone, which is arched, have oblique curved cusps, and are close set. 

 Tiie lateral cusps are small, round, and at the root of the tooth. 

 In the posterior teeth the central cusps are worn down to the level 

 of the Literal ones. Small teeth on each side of the principal 

 series, rounded, not compressed, and of unequal sizes, not dis|)osed 

 in rows, and seldom more than two abreast. Palatine teeth of the 

 princi|)al row rounded on the crowns, but generally with a mesial 

 acute line : there is an irregular row of minute granular teeth on 

 the outside, and a band of 'i or '^ on the inside, with a furrow be- 

 tween them and the main series. The palatines abut against the 

 vomer at the sixth tootli. Tiie mandibular teelh, instead of 

 being like liic vomerine ones, as in tlie [)rcceding s[>ecies, more re- 



