ophidinjU. 153 



of the tail. In the example in the Paris Museum, the point of 

 the snout projects, over and beyond the liare-like jaws. In this 

 skin I can neither discover the position of the anus nor the fins. 

 Whether the projection of the snout is normal, or whether it 

 depends on the drying and shrinking of the specimen, must be 

 determined at some future time. 



This species has, seemingly, a like origin with tcenia and 

 viarginutas. 



22. LEPTOCEPHAr.US CAPKNSIS, LitUiiicle. 



At the Cape of Good Hope there exists an elongated species, of 

 which a dried skin was presented by the above-named voyager (De 

 Lalaude) to the Paris Museum. 



It has a taper-pointed head, and on the jaws one can discern 

 very slender, long, and pointed teeth, especially on the mandible. 

 The anus is 0'87 in. from the point of the tail. A row of points 

 exists on the short anal. I am unable to find either pectoral fins 

 or dorsal on this skin ; and the lateral lino exhibits neither longi- 

 tudinal nor transverse rows of points. In this dried specimen the 

 colour is hazel- brown ; but such was certainly not the original tint, 

 since all the other species are dead white. 



Family II. OPHIDINiE. 



(iadoid forms, destitute of ventrals ; with elongated, more or less 

 suoid-sliapcd bodies, whose anal and dorsal fins coalesce at the point 

 of the tail, without a break. 



Gencs 1. MACH^RIUM, Eichanlson. 



JJiai/ii. Anus terminating the proximal third [)art of the scaly 

 body ; mandible destitute of barbels. 



Dcscr. A single row of teeth, running round the jaw. Dorsal 

 fin commencing a little posterior to tbe pectorals, and the anal fin 

 continued along the distal two-thirds of the length of the fish. 

 Six branchiostegals. Lateral line ceasing under the tenth dorsal 

 ray. \o swim-bladder. 



I. Machkiuum subDUCENs, Eichanlson. 

 Machserium subducens, Rich., Ereb. 'i Terr. 72, pi. 44, f. 1-G. 

 Kays: P. 10; D. Tl ; C. 10 ; A. b(>. 

 This fibii attains u length of eleven inches. 

 L-ngtli from (he tip of tin- snout to the gill opening . 1()2 in. 

 ,, ,, anus . . 3"70 ,, 



X 



