21. upiiicnTiiYs. 59 



7. Ophichthys parilis. 



Ophisurus parilis, Richards. Ereh. >§• Terr. Fish. p. 105. 



Scytiilopliis parilis, Kaup, Apod. p. 14, fig. 8. 



Ophichthys macruriis, Pocy, Itcpcrt. Fis.-nat. Cuba, ii, p. 25G. 



Gill-openings not very wide, but approaching nearer to each other 

 than is usual in this genus. Coloration uniform. The length of the 

 head is one-half of the distance of the gill-opening from the vent. 

 Cleft of the mouth rather wide, its length contained twice and two- 

 thirds in that of the head. Eye small, two-fifths of the length of 

 the snout. Anterior nostril with an clgngate tapering tube. Teeth 

 pointed, fixed, in all the bones biserial, the anterior rather stouter 

 than the others. The length of the jiectoral fin is contained t'wace 

 and one-fourth in that of the head ; dorsal fin rather low, commen- 

 cing above the posterior third of the pectoral. Tail twice as long as 

 the body. 



West Indies, Bahia. 



a. Type of the species, 19 inches long. Cuba. Purchased of Mr. 



Scrivener. 



b. Adult. Bahia. 



8. Ophichthys dicellurus, 



Ophisurus dicellurus, RicJiardson, Voy. SitljJi. Irhtlnjol. p. lOG, pi. 48. 

 figs. 2-4 ; Voy. Ereb, i^- Terr. Fish. p. 105. 



Gill-openings wide, approaching nearer to each other beneath 

 than is usual in this genus. The length of the head is one-half of 

 the distance of the gill-opening from the vent. Upper jaw slightly 

 projecting beyond the lower ; cleft of the mouth rather wide, tAvo- 

 fifths of the length of the head. Eye of moderate size, two-thirds 

 of the length of the snout, and situated in the anterior third of the 

 length of the head. Teeth pointed, fixed ; intermaxillary teeth ? 

 vomerine teeth in a single, maxillary in a double series ; anterior 

 mandibulary teeth in a double row, the remainder being single. 

 Pectoral fins two-fifths as long as the head ; dorsal fin rather low, 

 commencing above the extremity of the pectoral. Body one-third 

 shorter than the tail. Coloration ? 



China. 



a. Type of the species, 10 inches long. Yang-tze-kiang. Presented 

 by Sir J. Richardson. 



0. Cleft of the mouth of moderate width, less than 07ie-third of the length of 



the head. 



9. Ophichthys magnoculus. 



Scytalophis magnioculis, Kaup, Apod. p. 13. fig. 7 (not 8). 

 Ophichthys magnioculis, Kner, Novara, Fisch. p. 376. 



Coloration uniform. The length of the head is rather more than 

 one-half of the distance of the gill-opening from the vent. Eye of 

 noderate size, two-thirds of the length of the snout ; tube of the 



