MUR;ENIDiE. 79 



Nasal teeth, 21, pretty tall, rather widely set, subulate, and very 

 acute, in one series forming a semicircle I'ound the end of the jaw, 

 the front teeth being the lowest, and 11 of them taller than the 

 rest. Three tall, subulate, and slightl^^-recurved mesial teeth on the 

 disk. Followed after an interval by 9 short, acute, vomerine teeth, 

 disjwsed in one slightlyArrefjidar row. Palatine teeth, 17, tapering, 

 and very acute ; the 4 anterior ones shortest, the middle of the 

 series tallest, and all slightly reflex ; an inner row of palatine teeth 

 is formed by 3 taller ones. Each limb of the mandible is armed by 

 16 or 18 teeth, resembling the palatine ones, with 3 tall subulate 

 interior ones at the fore end, making there two rows. 



This slender and considerably compressed Murccna, has the dorsal 

 commencing well forward on the nape before the gill-openings, and 

 the anus situated about one twenty-sixth part the whole length 

 before the middle of the fish. The rail is acute. The colours have 

 totally faded. Solander's short description which mentions them is 

 as follows : — " Iris castanea. Pujnlla niyra, annulo luteo. Fori 

 capitis concolores cum corpore. Tota e sordide purjnireo fusca,fasciis 

 viaculisque transversalibus, latis, niwierosis, nigricantihus ; tarn ob~ 

 scums est piscis ut primo intuitu vi.v inter colorevi corporis et fascias 

 differentia videtur. Dentes in maxillis et fauce uti in antecedente 

 (M. atomaria). Nullum autem labia faucis videre licuit." — Solander, 

 1. c. {Richardson.) 



Length, 13-5 in. To anus, G-22 in. To gill-opening, 1-02 in. 

 (Rich.) To the anus, 6'30 in. ; length of tail, 7*29 in. (Kaup.) 



Polynesia. 



The British Museum possesses a specimen of this fish preserved 

 in spirits, which was obtained from the College of Surgeons, and 

 was most probably the individual taken on Cook's first voyage, at 

 the Society Islands. The native name is written " Epui," or 

 " Ebui." [Richardson.) 



This species approaches very near to MurcBua tristis (US). 



2. Spotted Species. 



145. Thyesoidea moringua. 



Muroena moringua, Cuv. Reyn. An. 11; Rich., Ereb. S Terr. 89. 

 Murtena curviliueata et caramura, Castelneau, pi. 42, f. 2, and 43, 

 f. 1. 



Piays : D. 323 ; A. 232 = 555 (Jamaica spec). 



Nasal teeth, 12, tall, stoutly subulate, compressed, with sharp 

 edges, and generally 2 minute teeth between each pair, all in one 

 row. Three mesial teeth, and 9 very acute, shartly-subnlate, vomerine 

 teeth in one row. Palatine teeth, 18 or 10, much compressed, acute 

 and reflex, the anterior 3 small, and succeeded immediately by the 



