790 conteibutio:ns to north American ichthyology — iv. 



eyes, which are lateral aud rather large; greatest depth of body some- 

 what more than length of head; neck much arched. Dorsal inserted 

 just behind head; pectoral extending beyond veut. Head 4. D. 50; A. 

 45; P, 37. Baffin's Bay. (Gimther.) 

 (Ophidium parrii Ross, Parry's Third Voy.ige, App. 109; Giinther, iv, 326.) 



Family CXVI.— CONGROGADIDyE. 



Body elongate, compressed, eel-shaped, naked or covered with small 

 scales. Mouth moderate, horizontal, the lower jaw the longer; teeth in 

 a single series in the jaws aud sometimes on vomer and palatines also; 

 no barbels. Branchiostegals 4 to 7 ; gills 4, a slit behind the fourth ; 

 pseudobrancliiaj present. Gill-membranes more or less connected, free 

 from the isthmus. Dorsal tin long and low, of slender rays imbedded 

 in the skin; anal similar to dorsal, both connected to the caudal fin; 

 tail diphycercal. Pectoral fins small; ventral fins wanting. Vent re- 

 mote from the head, without papilla. Air-bladder none; pyloric cceca 

 none. Small fishes, chiefly of the East Indies. Genera 3; sijecies 4. 



{OjiMdiidw,, group Congrogadina Giiutlier, iv, 388, 389.) 



a. Canines present; dorsal beginning near the middle of the body. ..Scytalina, 431. 



431.— SCYTALirVA Jordan & Gilbert. 



(.Tor. & Gilb. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas. 1880, 266: type Sojlalina cerdaJc J. & G.) 



Body very long and slender, covered with small scales. Head de- 

 pressed, shaped like the head of a snake, with tumid cheeks and a dis- 

 tinct neck. Eyes small, superior. Mouth rather large, the lower jaw 

 slightly projecting. Teeth conic, in single series on jaws, vomer, and 

 palatines. Each jaw with two canines in front. J!fo lateral line; pseu- 

 dobranchijie small. Gill-rakers almost obsolete. Dorsal fin very low, 

 its first ray near the middle of the body. Anal fin similar to dorsal, 

 nearly as long. Tail diphycercal, the caudal well developed. (Diminu- 

 tive of Soy tale, from (rxuraXr^, a viper.) 



12 IT. S. cor«jlaae J. & G. 



Flesh-colored, with much mottling of purplish in fine pattern; belly 

 nearly plain; caudal reddish-edged. Head broader than body; snout 

 depressed, rounded at tip; cheeks very long; opercle short; interor- 

 bital space rather broad, concave posteriorly; eyes small, anterior and 

 superior; upper lij) separated by a crease from the skin of the fore- 

 head; lower jaw projecting; edge of lower lip with pores, and small 

 dermal flaps and fringes: maxillary extending a little beyond eye; 

 nostrils with small flaps. Lower jaw with a series of close-set, even, 



