24. MURJENA. 93 



Second Subfamily. 



MUR^NID/E ENGYSCHIST.E. 



The branchial openings in the pharynx are narrow slits. 



Tenth Group. MUR^NINA. 



23. MYROCONGER. 



Scaleless. Head without conspicuous rauciferous cavities. Cleft 

 of the mouth ■wide. All the teeth acicular, suljequal in size, forming 

 broadish bands, the vomerine band tapering into a single series ter- 

 minating far back in the mouth. Pectoral and vertical fins well 

 develo2)ed, the dorsal fin commencing in advance of the small gill- 

 opening. The posterior nostiil is on the level of the upper margin 

 of the orbit, the anterior in a tube. Eye of moderate size. 



St. Helena. 



1. Myroconger compressus. 



Body compressed, rather deep ; snout of moderate length, de- 

 pressed, with the lower jaw rather prominent. The cleft of the 

 mouth extends somewhat behmd the eye, which is of moderate size, 

 one-half of the length of the snout, and one-eighth of that of the 

 head. The dorsal fin commences midway between occiput and gill- 

 opening ; pectoral about as long as the snout. The length of the head 

 is one-half of that of the trunk ; tail longer than the bod}'. The skin 

 of the throat and chest shows traces of large scale-pouches, regularly 

 arranged, each about half the size of the eye. Uniform whitish. 



St. Helena. 



a. Fine specimen, 22 inches long. Presented by J. C. Melliss, Esq. 



24. MTJR.ffiNA*. 

 Murrena, sp., Artedi, Linn., lihirh. 

 Gymnotliorax, Bluch, Bl. ScJin. 

 MuriEUophis, Lacej). 

 Murmna, Ciii\, Bicharchm. 

 Echidna, ,/. B. Fur.sfcr. 



Than'odoutis, Strophidon, Lycodontis, McClelland. 

 SIuriBua, Sidera, Eurvmyctera, Tliyrsoidoa, Ijimamurffina, Polvura- 



nodon,Pa>cilopliis,CTymnomin\'ena, Priodouopliis, Ta'niopliis,A7«//). 

 Pseudomurrena, J. Y. Johnson. 

 Echichia, Gymnothorax, Priodonophis, Stropliidon, Thyrsoidea, 



Bleekcr. 



* 1. Gymnothorax vrilsoni, Bl. Schn. p. 529. — G-. (dentibiis palatinis nullis?) 

 capito parro, crasso, viridi, Tiiaeulis roseis latis ornate, pinna dorsali 

 lonpitudine dorsi, aiio capiti ])ropinquiore quam apici Cauda;. Hab. 

 in Nova Ilollandia, Banning dictus. 

 2. Mura?nophis stcllata, Lace}:!, v. pp. (')29, G22, 044. — La dorsale tres basse 

 et common<jant tres-i>res do la nuque ; les deux niaehoires gamies de 

 dents aigui's et clair-scmees ; deux rangees de dents serablables do 

 chatpie cote du palais ; deux series longitudinalcs de taches on fortne 

 d'etoilee irregulieres, dc chaque cote de I'aninial. Sa couleur geiurale 



