PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 155 



The coloratiou of these specimeus is various aud in general corre- 

 sponds with the description given by Giinther. Agassiz's figure repre- 

 sents a fish ornamented with fewer and larger spots than in these 

 Florida specimens, which show the spots very closely contiguous, espe- 

 cially on the head. Some of these specimens show narrow longitudinal 

 brown lines upon the throat and posterior part of the head below the 

 branchial opening. The markings on the dorsal fin are also somewhat 

 difi'erent from any heretofore described. We observe a regularly undu- 

 lating line of white about as wide as the pupil of the eye, the ujjper 

 undulations extending to the edges of the fin ; between these undula- 

 tions are sub-triangular spots of blackish brown, which together form au 

 interrujited black margin to the fin. These markings, and indeed the 

 general appearance of the fish, are perhaps best represented by Girard's 

 figure, which, however, fails to indicate the white undulating line 

 already mentioned. 



The Museum has also a bottle, No. 5,997, containing old and young 

 specimens of this species from Cedar Keys, Florida. 



We have examined a specimen, apparently of this species, catalogued 

 " No. 7,004, St. Joseph's Island, Texas, Geo. Wiirdemann," which we 

 believe to be the original type of Girard's Neomurcena nigromarginata. 



88. Herpetoichthys ocellatus (Les. ). 



Murcenophis ocellatus Le Sueue, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. vol. v, p. 108, pi. 

 iv, fig. 3. 



A fine specimen, No. 22,289, measuring 575 millimetres. 



89. Neoconger mucronatus Girard. 



An eel-like fish. No. 5,161, 15 inches in length, sent from West Florida 

 in 1863 or 1861 by Messrs. Kaiser and Martin, appears to have been 

 described by Girard under the name Neoconger mucronatus. 



39. LEPIDOSTEID^. 



90. Lepidosteus platystomus Eafinesque. — Alligator Gar; Gar Pike. 



A single specimen, 15 inches in length, No. 21,485. D. 8 j A. 8 j P. 

 10 ; V. 6; 0. 12. L. lat. 57 ; L. trans, g. 



40. CEPHALOPTERIDiE. 



91. Ceratoptera birostris (Walbaum) Goode & Beau. 



Said to be of trequent occurrence in the Gulf of Mexico. 



41. MYLIOBATID^. 



92. Rhinoptera quadriloba (Les.) Cnv.— Skate; Whipperee; Com-craoker, 

 A large female specimen, No. 21,221. 



