320 ANGUILLID.E. 



a line by a Cornish fisherman had a small fish of its own 

 species in its stomach. 



From the extreme point of the lower jaw to the posterior 

 end of the gill-cover is to the whole length of the fish as 

 one to four and a half ; the depth of the body rather less 

 than one-third of the length of the head ; the lower jaw 

 very much elongated, with a strong, indurated projection 

 at the extreme tip ; the upper jaw much shorter than the 

 lower, with a strong forked tooth of two points descending 

 from the vomer : the nostrils double ; both open on each 

 side on a line, one before the other, about half-way be- 

 tween the eye and the point of the nose : the eyes rather 

 small ; the posterior margin exactly half-way between the 

 point of the under jaw and the posterior angle of the gill- 

 cover : the shape of the body very nearly round ; covered 

 with small scales : the pectoral fin arises under the posterior 

 angle of the gill-cover, its length one-third that of the 

 length of the head ; the dorsal fin placed in a groove, with 

 a prominent line extending along each side ; the rays com- 

 mence in a vertical line over the end of the pectoral fin- 

 rays, and end near the tail ; the lateral line indented and 

 straight ; the abdomen with three indented parallel lines 

 extending to the anal aperture, which has another orifice 

 behind it ; along the whole line of the lower part of each 

 side extends a narrow and slender membrane attached by 

 one edge ; the anal fin is about one-third of the whole length 

 of the fish, ending short of the caudal fin, and nearly on the 

 same plane as the dorsal fin ; the tail forked. 



The fin-rays in number are — 



D. 55 : P. 15 : A. 29 : C. 17. 

 The iridcs, checks, gill-covers, lower part of the sides, 



