Mr. J. Y. Johnson on new Ftshes from Madeira. 61 



Apodals, which differs from all previously established families, except 

 the Symbranchidce, in having the gill- openings close together on the 

 ventral aspect ; and from the Symbranchidce it is distinguished by 

 the presence of fins. Moreover, from the Murcenidce it is separated 

 by the possession of pectoral fins, and from the Congridce by the 

 possession of scales and by the vent being before the commencement 

 of the dorsal fin. 



Synaphobranchus Kaupii, sp. n. 



Anguilliform, compressed, attenuate in both directions from the 

 neighbourhood of the vent ; of a dull brown colour, darker on the 

 belly. The skin contains small oval scales, set obliquely and at right 

 angles to each other. 



The head is subcompressed, depressed, and flat above ; it exhibits 

 no gibbosity, nor is the throat swollen. The eye is covered with skin; 

 it is of moderate size, and placed at the side of the head, over the 

 middle of the oral cleft, three diameters distant from the tip of the 

 snout. The posterior nostril is in front of the eye and has a raised 

 border. The anterior nostril has a short tube, which does not quite 

 reach to the lip, and is attached in front to the snout, the orifice being 

 directed forwards. Rictus deep. The jaws are narrow, pointed, sub- 

 equal, and without barbels. The lips are cartilaginous, especially the 

 upper lip, which forms a conical snout, projecting much beyond the 

 jaw. There are teeth in both jaws, consisting of an inner row of short, 

 slender, conical, pointed, closely-set teeth, with an exterior band of 

 scobinate teeth, which become reduced to a single row in front. On 

 the vomer is a group of from nine to fifteen conical teeth, the first two 

 or three of which are short, the others rather longer than those in 

 the jaw. On the mesial line of the palate there is a row of minute, 

 sharp teeth curving backwards ; and the pharyngeals are armed with 

 scobinate bands of teeth. The inside of the mouth is black, as well 



as the tongue, which is small, toothless, and free at the tip. The 

 gill-openings are side by side on the ventral aspect of the body, in 

 advance of the pectoral fins ; they are separated by a membrane 

 placed inside a single external aperture. The dorsal fin commences 

 behind the vent, a little posterior to the commencement of the second 

 third of the total length, and joins the caudal, like the anal fin, 

 without a break. It is higher behind, but is throughout much lower 

 than the anal ; the greater part of it is covered with a scaly skin, as 

 is also the greater part of the anal fin. The pectoral fins are well 

 developed, pointed, and situate a little behind the gill -openings, 

 below the middle of the height. The ventral fins are wanting. The 

 vent is in the first third of the total length. The anal fin commences 



