OPHIDINE. 159 



Diagn. The thick teeth forming the middle row of the vomerines 

 are connected at their bases, and the outer row of mandibulars are 

 taller than the others. Two larger teeth stand on the symphysis of 

 the upper jaw. 



This species resembles the common Fierasfer acus rather than 

 dentatus, but the head is blunter and the distance between the point 

 of the snout and the tip of the gill-cover is comprised six times and 

 a half iu the total length, while in acus the total length is seven 

 times as long as the same part of the fish. 



Head foi'ming a seventh of the total length of the fish, and 

 thicker than any part of the body, snout rounded, body acutely 

 tapering, compressed, tail acute. Anus before the pectoral fin, under 

 the superior angle of the gill-opening. Eye lateral, large, bright, 

 and silvery. Tongue conical, smooth. Teeth setaceous in even villi- 

 form bands on the premaxillaries, mandible, and edges of the pala- 

 tine bones. They are slightly recurved, and can be distinctly seen 

 only by aid of a lens ; but anteriorly there are a few latter ones on 

 both jaws, and two or three of the mandibular ones merit the name 

 of canines. The knob of the vomer is conical and prominent, with 

 a comparatively stout, compressed, conical central tooth and a ring 

 of minute conical ones round its base. A transverse row cf three 

 pores on the occiput. Gill-plate extremely povoas, and the snout and 

 cheek also minutely porous. Lateral line a furrow extending from 

 the temporal ridge to the tip of the tail, traversed through by a 

 thin elevated cuticular seam. Dorsal and anal fins low and sup- 

 ported by unbranched tapering flexible rays, articulated towards 

 their tips. Dorsal commencing rather before the second quarter of 

 the total length and posterior to the beginning of the anal, which is 

 close to the anus. The fins meet at the point of the tail, being 

 connected there by membrane without the intervention of a caudal, 

 since no rays spring from the extreme tip of the tail. Sto- 

 mach cfecal, most of it below the pylorus, which is near the 

 oesophagus. No pyloric caeca. Air-bladder long, extending far be- 

 yond the anus ; in one specimen, with alternate delatations and 

 contractions, in another without contractions. Vertebrae 99, of 

 which 19 have divergent processes that afford space for the viscera. 



Total length 4-50 in. 



Length of head to gill-opening ..... 063 „ 



Length to anus ........ 0'59 ,, 



,, dorsal ....... r05 ,, 



On the back and sides there are fine points, more crowded on the 

 dorsal aspect, and the peritoneal sac is silvery with more scattered 

 dots. Under the lateral line fifteen silvery spots extend and towards 

 the gill-cover assume a golden lustre as in F. acus. 



Seas of Australia and Timor (Richardson). At the Island of 

 Guam (Quoy and Gaimard). At Martinique (Prichard), Bourbon, 

 and Banda Neira v-^leeker). P. 10 ; D. 140 ; A. IGU (according to 

 Bleeker). 



