82 TELEOSTEI. PHYSOSTOMI. 



Length of head 3 in the distance between the end of the snout 

 and the vent; tail from one sixth to one third longer than the 

 trunk. Eyes lj diameters from end of snout, to which they are 

 nearer than to the angle of the mouth. Anterior nasal tubes 

 equal in length to two thirds of the vertical diameter of the eye. 

 Length of cleft of mouth 3^ in the length of the head. Gill- 

 openings rather larger than the eye. Teeth conical and laterally 

 biserial on the maxilla; about 23 on each ramus of the mandible; 

 vomerine teeth globular and in two rows ; no large canines ; the 

 mouth cannot be completely shut. F'ois dorsal more than two 

 thirds as high as the body. Colour light brown, covered all over 

 with closely-set purplish spots, amongst which are light lines 

 forming a network ; gill-opening sometimes with a black mark 

 around it ; no white edge to fins. 



Hob. Andamans and Burma to the Malay Archipelago, China 

 and the Tonga Islands. 



88. (16.) Muraena picta. 



Mursena picta, AM, De Mur. et Ophich. in TJmnb. Dixs. iii, p. 0, t. ii, 

 fig. 2; Day, Fish, fndia, p. 672, pi. clxxii, tig. 4 (see synon.). 



Length of head 3| in the distance between the end of the snout 

 and the vent ; tail about as long as the trunk. Eyes small, about 

 2 diameters from the end of the snout, and situated over about the 

 centre of the cleft of mouth, which latter is about one third of the 

 length of the head : the mouth cannot be completely closed. Ante- 

 rior nasal tube not quite so long as the vertical diameter of the orbit. 

 Gill-opening about as large as the orbit. Teeth maxillary and 

 premaxillary teeth in a single row; vomerine ones posteriorly 

 rounded and generally anteriorly bifurcated in a row ; the anterior 

 2 or 3 vomerine teeth are rather curved, sharp, not subulate, and 

 about the same size as those in the premaxillaries. Mandibular teeth 

 in one row, except anteriorly where it is double. Colour there are 

 many different forms of colour, usually the ground tint is grey or 

 greyish yellow covered with black spots, which are connected together 

 by a network of dark lines, causing the fish to appear marbled. 



Hob. East coast of Africa, Madagascar, Bourbon, and seas of 

 India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



89. (17.) Muraena zebra. 



Gymnomursena zebra, Shatv, Gen. Zool. iv, p. 31. 

 Mura3na zebra, Dai/, Fish. India, p. 673 (see synon.). 



Length of head 6| to 7| in the distance between the end of the 

 snout and the vent ; tail one third of the total length. Eyes small, 

 and rather nearer the end of the snout than to the angle of the 

 mouth. Teeth consist of bands of obtuse molars. Colour rich 

 dark brown, ornamented with from 30 to 100 narrow white or 

 yellow rings, which are sometimes incomplete. 



