98 MUR^NIDJE. 



Albino variety, 

 e. Type of Th. atlantlca. Presented by J. Y. Johnson, Esq. 



Richardson describes this species as having the posterior nostrils 

 not tubular. Dr. ¥aup, ha\4ng observed this discrepancy from So- 

 lander's description, thought the fish to be difFerent from 31. guttata 

 (Solander), naming it 31. augusti. Otherwise he simply copies 

 Richardson's description, as he does throughout his work on the 

 " Apodal Fish." Unfortunately the stufi'ed example from which 

 Richardson drew up his description cannot be found in the British 

 Museum, if it was there at all (which is very improbable). But there 

 is but little doubt that that specimen was really identioal with So- 

 lander's fish, the small posterior nasal tubes having become dried and 

 consequently inconspicuous. 



3. Mursena melanotis. 



Limamurjena melanotis, Kaup, Aale Hamburg. Mus. p. 27, tab. 4. 



fig. 3. 

 Murfena helena, Troschel, Wiegm. Arch. 18G6, p. 237. 



Posterior nostrils tubular; tubes subequal in length, shorter than 

 the eye. Maxillary teeth and, in young examples, also the anterior 

 mandibulary teeth biserial. Canines of moderate length; the mouth 

 can be shut completely. Gill-opening narrow, not wider than the 

 eye, which is small. Snout of moderate length. Cleft of the mouth 

 of moderate width, contained twice and one-half or twice and one- 

 third in the length of the head. Tail longer than the body. The 

 length of the head is contained twice and one-third or twice and one- 

 half in that of the trunk. Brownish black, with numerous round 

 yellowish spots, most of which are smaller than the eye ; the spots 

 are sometimes confined to the head and trunk. A large round black 

 spot round the gill-opening. Angle of the mouth black. 



Tropical parts of the Atlantic ; Pacific coast of Panama. 



a, b. Adult, fine specimens. Cape Verde Islands. Presented by th"! 



Rev. R. T. Lowe. 

 c-d. Half-grown, South America. Purchased of Mr. Cuming. 

 e-f. Half-grown. Pacific coast of Panama. From Mr. Salvin's 



Collection. 



4. Mursena pavonina. 



Richards. Voy. Sulph. Ichthyol. p. 110, pi. 53. figs. 1-6 ; and Voy. Ereh. 

 ^ Terr. Fish. p. 90. 



Posterior nostrils tubular, the tubes being much longer than the 

 anterior, and equal to the vertical diameter of the eye. Maxillary 

 and mandibulary teeth biserial, the inner series being formed by four 

 or five longer teeth *. The other teeth uniserial. Canines of mode- 

 rate length. The mouth can be shut completely. Gill-opening 

 narrow, not wider than the eye. Snout pointed, narrow. Eye of 

 moderate size, its diameter being more than one-half of the length 



* Of course these teeth may bR absent in other examples. 



