338 MUR^NA. 



a blow on the head will not. Mr. Lowe says it is not rare in 

 Madeira; but we have not heard of more than one example 

 that has been met with in the British Islands; and this was 

 caught with a line on the 8th. of October, 1834, by a fisherman 

 of Polperro; who placed it in my possession as soon as it was 

 brought to land; and from this example our figure and description 

 are obtained. 



We learn that the ordinary length of this fish is about three 

 feet; but our specimen measured four feet four inches; the 

 body very flaccid, but plump, rounded anteriorly, compressed 

 and tapering towards the tail; before the eyes the head is 

 slender and pointed; jaws about equal, gape moderately large; 

 the teeth long, sharp, incurved, prominent, in one row; a row 

 on the palate; tongue adherent, scarcely perceptible; a nasal 

 barb on each side of the end of the snout, another a short 

 distance above each eye, and a probe passed down through the 

 latter, found its way out at the former. Large mucous orifices 

 encircle both jaws at equal distances, four on each row. Eye 

 rather small, an inch and a quarter from the snout; irides 

 light bluish grey, having a lively look; cheeks tumid, formed 

 by the strong muscle which closes the jaw; an extensive 

 depression behind this, at the side of the thorax, in which is 

 situated the simple orifice of the gills, the outward appearance 

 of which very much resembles a corresponding opening in the 

 Lamprey; from the snout to this branchial opening six inches. 

 From the part above the eye the head is much elevated, and 

 the skin wrinkled; the thorax remarkably protuberant; the 

 distance from the top of the head to the thorax five inches and 

 three fourths. The vent is exactly half way between the two 

 ends of the body; and from it proceeds a line to the end of 

 the tail, parallel to the anal fin; which line must be the 

 lateral, since there is no appearance of any other. The dorsal 

 fin begins five inches and a half from the snout, and proceeds 

 to the extremity of the body to join with the anal to form 

 the tail. The anal begins at the vent, but both these fins are 

 thick and fleshy, so as not to be readily distinguished from 

 the general surface of the body. 



The ground colour of the anterior part of the body is a fine 

 lively yellow, the hinder part fine purple; but the whole, 

 including the fins, is divided into segments which form irregu- 



