04 CATALOGUE OF FISH. 



M. meleaf/ris, but the spots are smaller. The throat, unci fore part 

 of the belly, are of a livid white colour, without spots, but towards 

 the vent the white is faiutly mottled with pale gray. 



Length, 17-8 in. To anus, 9-25 in. To gill-opening, 2"2 in. 



India. 



A specimen of MurcBna rermiculata, which was bequeathed by 

 General Hardwicke to the British Museum, agrees with M. gmcilh 

 in its dentition, and differs from it chiefly in being thicker about the 

 throat and head, tapering more in the tail. The patterns of the 

 spots are also different. It may, however, be that species better 

 fed, and grown to a greater size. I am not altogether convinced 

 that this Muiana and r/racilis are distinct from Buchanan's tile, 

 yet I cannot reconcile them with the drawing of tih- (;^08), which is 

 authenticated by a reference to Buchanan. [Ricluinlson.) 



Gracilis is undoubtedly the young fish, and veniiicnlata a synonym 

 of tile. Hardwicke's figure 308 is mthete. (Kanp.) 



108. Thvrsoidea prasina. 



Muraena prasina, Rich., Ereh. d Terr. p. 93. 



A dried skin of this species, existing in the British Museum, was 

 brought from Australia by Mr. McGillivray. Tliis gentleman says 

 that it frequents " weedy pools among the rocks on the north side 

 of Bondy Bay, near Sidney. It is very savage when irritated, and 

 once, while I was collect ing corallines in that locality, a large in- 

 dividual made a dart at uiy arm, and returned repeatedly to the 

 attack, swimming slowly about, winding among the sea- weed, and 

 raising its snout to the surface. This one measured 31.j in. to 

 the tip of the tail, 15 V to the anus. Its depth behind the head 

 was 2 in., its breadth 1|, and its circumference 5|." [McGillivray.) 



Eye moderately large, over the middle of the gape. Teeth 

 acute. Nasal ones liserial, but some are broken in the specimen. 

 Outer series consisting of about 12 small acute ones ; inner series 

 of about 7 or 8 tall, stoutly subulate, and much-compressed teeth, 

 the two row^s contiguous and partially blended. Mesial row slender 

 and subulate, not acute edged, the third one very tall and recurved. 

 Vomerine teeth hiserial in front, about in each row, uniting to 

 form a single row of about 7, all small and cylindrical, with conico- 

 subulate cusps. Palatine teeth hiserial ; outer row composed of 

 about 14 reflex, lanceolate teeth, with acute oblique tips. The inner 

 row is constituted by 3 tall, slender, subulate, and recurved teeth, 

 standing opposite to the fore part of the outer row. On the fore 

 quarter of the mandible, there are, on each limb, 7 or 8 small ex- 

 terior teeth, with 4 or 5 tall, recurved, stoutly subulate, interior 

 ones, the penultimate one of these being the largest. Most of the 

 larger teeth of the jaws have a minute Jiotch in the middle of tlicir 

 posterior edge, and some have also a notch in front. The dorsal 



