mur^nidjE. 65 



Eye rathex" large, over the middle of the gape of the mouth, 

 which is of moderate size. Nose straight, with the hinder part of 

 the head apparently rising suddenly. Dorsal commencing a little 

 before the gill-opening. Anus, in the dried specimen, very little 

 before the middle of the fish. 



In the spotting, this Murama most resembles pavonina ; but the 

 spots are smaller, more numerous, and less regular, several of them 

 in various parts being oblong. They have their borders similarly 

 darkened, are about the size of partridge-shot, and are pretty regu- 

 larly scattered over the head, body, belly, and fins ; towards the top 

 of the tail they are smaller and less crowded. The rays of the dor- 

 sal are short at the commencement, and increase gradually to oppo- 

 site the vent, where they are, in the specimen here described, about 

 an inch long, and they lose little of their length till within three 

 inches of the tip of the tail. 



Length, 34-25 in. Distance from tip of snout to anus, 16-75 in. 

 Distance from ditto to gill-opening, 4*2 in. 



Indian Ocean. 



119. MuRiENA PSEUDOTHYRSOIDEA. 



Muneua pseudothyrsoidea, Bleeker, Mur. et Synhranch. 

 Muraenophis de Cororaandel, Leschenanlt [Paris Museum). 



As the name plainly indicates, this Murana very much resembles 

 the Thyrsoidea of Richardson ; but it cannot be mistaken for that 

 species, which belongs to a totally different group. 



In shape it is of medium length. The gape is moderately wide, 

 the fore-nostril tubes do not project beyond the border of the Up, 

 and the hinder nosti-ils are small points opening above the fore- 

 angle of the eye. In all there are 12 nasal teeth, the fourth on 

 each side being small. Palatine teeth, 10-12, the fore ones the 

 longest. Vomerine teeth, 6-7, very small and pointed. Maudi- 

 bulai's, 19-22, the 8 fore ones being the longest. 



Dorsal commencing behind the head. Tail shorter than the 

 body. Whole body blackish, with a fine, irregular, yellowish-browQ 

 reticulation. Round the gill-openings, and at the corner of the 

 mouth, black. 



Length of body, 11 42 in. Length of tail, 9-06 in. To the 

 gill-opening, 0-32 in. 



Macassar [Bleeker); Bombay [Dussumier) ; Pondicherrj [Les- 

 chenault). 



120. MuRiENA MAURITIANA. 



Mursena mauritiana, Kaup [Paris Museum). 



Has a short, obtuse head, and narrow gape, with very short ante- 

 rior nostril-tubes, and the posterior ones situated over the fore 



K 



