84 MTJRJiNID.E. , 



in the maxillaries. Pectoral fin extremely short ; dorsal commencing 

 on the nape ; dorsal and anal fins well developed. 

 West Indies. 



a, h, G. Thirty-three inches long, and young. Cuba. From the Col- 

 lection of the Zoological Society. 

 d-e. Half-grown. Barbadoes. Purchased of Mr. Cutter. 



III. Teeth equally small, conical ; pectoral absent {ray-ely rudimentary^ ; gill- 

 openings close together. Sphagebranchus. 



A. The dorsal commences at some distance behind the gill-opening. 



60. Ophichthys imberbis. 



Sphagebranchus imberbis, De la Roche, Ann. Mus. xiii. p. 360, pi. 25. 



fig. 18 ; Risso, Eur. Merid. iii. p. 196 ; Costa, Faun. Nap. Pesc. 



tav. 32. figs. 2, 3, 4 ; Kaup, Apod. p. 25. 



oculatus, Risso, I. c. p. 197. 



Leptocephalus spallanzani, Risso, Ichth. Nice, p. 85. 



The length of the head is contained five times and a half in the 

 distance between the gill-opening and the vent. Cleft of the mouth 

 narrow, extending behind the eye, two-ninths of the length of the 

 head. Snout pointed. Teeth uniserial, except on the intermaxillary, 

 and sometimes on the anterior part of the vomer, where they are 

 placed in a double series. A rudiment of the pectoral fin is gene- 

 rally visible ; the dorsal fin is very low, and commences at a distance 

 from the gill- opening, which exceeds the length of the head. Tail 

 somewhat longer than the body. Coloration uniform. 



Mediterranean, 



a, b. Adult, Mediterranean, 



c. Adult. Algiers. Presented by Lieut.-Col. Playfair. 



d. Adult. Sicily. Presented by W. Swainson, Esq. 



e. Adult. Nice. From Dr. Deakin's Collection. 

 /. Adult. Old Collection. 



61. Ophichthys auceps. 



Dalophis anceps, Cantor, Mai. Fish, p, 327, pi. 6. 



The length of the head is contained nine times and three-fourths 

 in the distance between the gill-opening and the vent ; body longer 

 than the tail. The very minute eye is situated at the commencement 

 of the second eighth of the head, nearly above the middle of the lip 'j 

 its distance from the muzzle is a little more than one-eighth of the 

 length of the head ; the distance from the muzzle to the angle of 

 the mouth is two-ninths of the length of the head. Snout pointed. 

 Teeth pointed, in a double series on the intermaxillary, anterior part 

 of the vomer, and near the symphysis of the mandible ; otherwise 

 uniserial. Pectoral fin none ; the dorsal is low, and commences at a 

 great distance behind the giU-opening. Coloration uniform. 



Sea of Pinang. 



a. Type of the species : skin. From Dr. Cantor's Collection. 



