MUR.ENOIUS. 165 



and commanded that the abominable fish-ponds should be filled 



up.(l) 



All Mursense have an external set of teeth, in one or more 

 rows, on each side of the upper jaw, w^hich may be termed ' maxil- 

 lary,' as being opposed to corresponding series on the premandibular 

 bones ; and, in most species there is a median series of teeth in the 

 uppci jaw, supported by the vomer. 



In the common Mediterranean species, (Murtsna Helena, Linn.), 

 Cuvier(2) describes the dentition as consisting of a single row of 

 acute teeth on each jaw ; and a short row upon the vomer, commenc- 

 ing by a single large tooth. 



In the Murana anguiceps, (PI. 56, fig. 4), there is also a row 

 of slender sharp-pointed teeth along the middle of the vomer in addi- 

 tion to the single series of similarly shaped maxillary and premandi- 

 bular teeth. The anterior part of the external series in the upper 

 jaw is supported by the expanded anterior extremity of the vomer : 

 the first, fifth and tenth teeth of this row are much longer than the 

 rest, and resemble canine teeth. The first two teeth of the median 

 series are longer than the maxillary canines, and are situated 

 one behind the other on the middle of the expanded part of the 

 vomer : the rest of the series, which is confined to the narrow 

 posterior part of the vomer, includes very small teeth. The ante- 

 rior tooth on each premandibular bone is a long canine ; the rest 

 are short and recurved. 



The Murcena cjrisea has two rows of acute teeth, on each side 

 of the upper jaw, besides a single row on the vomer. 



The lateral teeth are round and arranged in a single row in the 

 Murcena nebulosa ; the vomerine teeth are in two rows, and present 

 a conical form at the anterior part of the bone. 



In the Murcena Zebra the lateral teeth are also round, but in 



(1) Quemadmodum, inquit, fecit Divus Augustus, quum casnaret apud Vedium Pollionem. 

 Fregerat unus ex servis ejus crystallinuin. Rapi eutn Vedius jussit, nee vulgari quidem 

 periturum morte, Muraenis objici jubebatur, quas ingens piscina continebat. ..." Evasit e 

 raanibus puer : nihil aliud petiturus, quam ut aliter periret, nee esca fieret. Motus est novitate 

 crudelitatis Csesar : et ilium quidem mitti, crystallina autem omnia coram se frangi jussit, 

 complerique piscinam." Seneca, de Ira, Lib. iii, c. 40. 



(2") Lemons d'Anatomie Comparee, Ed. 1835, torn, iv, p. 330. 



