58 MUB^NID^. 



b. The teeth of each series are equal or subequal in size. 

 a. Cleft of the mmdh wide, more than one-third of the length of the head. 



5. Ophichthys triserialis. 



Murpenopsis triserialis, Kaup, Apod. p. 12. 



? Herpetoichtbys callisoma, Abbott, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1860, 

 p. 475. 



A series of large, transversely ovate brown spots along tlie back, 

 alternating with another series of similar round spots running along 

 each side of the body ; abdomen sometimes with one or two series of 

 smaller brown spots. Head with small black spots ; an irregular 

 black band across the occipital region. Dorsal fin with a black 

 margin ; anal fin with black submarginal spots. Head with nume- 

 rous longitudinal rugse. The length of the head is two-fifths or one- 

 third of the distance of the gill-opening from the vent. Cleft of the 

 mouth wide, more than one-third of the length of the head. Eye of 

 moderate size, its diameter being contained once and two-thirds in 

 the length of the snout ; it is situated in the anterior third of the 

 length of the head. Teeth pointed, fixed, all biserial, except those 

 on the vomer, which are uniserial. Pectoral Jin two-sevenths of the 

 length of the head ; dorsal Jin commencing cdiove the terminal portion 

 of the pectorcd. Tail rather longer than the body. 



Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Tropical America. 

 a. Type of the species, 36 inches long. Pacific. Collected by Dr. 



(ioodridge. 

 h. Large specimen. Caribbean Sea. Collected by Mr. Guilding. 



c. Adult, 42 inches long. Bahia. Collected by Dr. Wucherer. 



d. Half-grown. From the Haslar Collection. 



6. Ophichthys grandimaculata. 



Ophichthys gi-andimaculata, Kner %■ Steindachner , Sitzgsher. Ah, Wiss. 

 Wien, iSGO, liv. p. 389, fig. 13. 



Back with broad blackish cross bands extending downwards to 

 below the lateral line, and alternating with large round dorsal spots 

 extending to the lateral line only ; head with small round blackish 

 spots. Dorsal fin with a broad blackish margin ; anal blackish. 

 The length of the head is two-fifths of the distance of the gill-open- 

 ing from the vent. Cleft of the mouth wide, more than one-thiixl of 

 the length of the head. Eye of moderate size, its diameter being 

 contained once and two-thirds in the length of the snout; it is 

 situated in the anterior third of the length of the head. Teeth 

 pointed, fixed, all biserial except those on the vomer, which are 

 uniserial. TJie length of the pectorcd fin is more than one-third of 

 that of the head, dorsal fin commencing above the hascd hcdf of the 

 pectoral. Tail longer than body. 



Peru. 

 «. One of the typical specimens, 24 inches long. From the Godef- 

 froy Museum. 



