ANQUILLID.E. 43 



84. Akguilla marmorata, fig. 3:2. 



Auguilla mai-morata, Quoy <£ Gaim. Freyc. Voy. p. 241. 



Anguilla Elphistouei, Sykes, Fish, of Deccan, Tr. Zool. Soc. ii., p. 



377, t. G7, f. 3, 1841 ; Bleeker, MurcBuoiden. 

 Muraena beugalensis, Gray, Hardw. III. Ind. Zool. 

 Auguilla variegata, McClell. Calc. Journ. v., 179, t. 5, f. 2. 

 Anguilla guttata, Cuvier ex Voy. dii Peron. 



This eel is widely distributed, since it is the one species which 

 inhabits the whole of Hindostan, exists also in Java {Bleeker), in 

 Waigiou, and Quawack {Quoy and Gaimard), Sti-ong Island or 

 Oualan, and Otaheite {Lesson), and Bourbon {Paris iMus.). It is 

 easily distinguished from . all the other known species by the 

 speckled and marbled markings of its body, and by the dorsal fiu 

 standing broadly out over the anus. The distance from the tip of 

 the snout to the pectoral is comprised once and eleven-fourteenths 

 in the length of the space between the pectoral and dorsal. The 

 vomerine and palatine teeth also forna a crowded flat surface, be- 

 coming narrow and pointed backwards ; while the moderately-large 

 eye is only one-third of the length of the snout. 



A large specimen in the Paris Museum possessing these charac- 

 ters must be considered to be a marmorata, though it has become 

 totally black. 



A specimen from Bourbon measures 18-90 in., of which the tail 

 is 10-03 in. To the corner of the mouth, 0-79 in. To the pecto- 

 ral, 2-76 in. To the dorsal, 492 in. Length of the pectoral, 

 079 in. According to Bleeker the species attains a length of 45 

 inches, 



^. American species. 



85, Anguilla nov^orleanensis, fig. 33. 

 Anguilla novaeorleaneusis, Kaup. 



This species approaches the European Anguilla Cuvieri very 

 closely, since it exhibits the same colouring, and the same large eye 

 and short snout; but it is distinguished by the situation of the 

 pupil behind the corner of the mouth, and by the pores of the 

 lateral line being less obvious, since they are obscured by dark 

 points. 



On its upper aspect, this eel is dark olive-green ; the belly and 

 towards the lateral line being silvery. Dorsal, dark green. Anal, 

 next the tail, greenish ; towards the margin, yellowish, and finely 

 dotted. Pectoral, on the outer side, yellowish-green, dotted with 

 black; on the inner side, olive-green, with dark rays. 



Length, 1320 in. Length of tail, 7-88 in. To the eye, 0-28 

 in. To the corner of the mouth, 035 in. To the pectoral, 1-57 

 in. To the dorsal, 402 in. Height behind the pectoral, 0-07 in. 

 Length of the pectoral, 0-59 in. 



