MUR^ENIDJE. 87 



B. xii. D. 250-305. P. 18. A. 220-250. C. 10-12. 



Length of head 3 to 3^ in the distance between the snout and 

 the vent ; length of tail three sevenths more than that of the 

 trunk. The distance between the gill-opening and the origin of 

 the dorsal fin is one third or one fourth more than the length of 

 the head ; that between the origin of dorsal and anal fins equals 



Fig. 35. Anguilla bengalensis and upper teeth. 



the length of the head. Head rather broader than the body; 

 snout not broad. Lower jaw prominent. The cleft of the mouth 

 is nearly or quite one third as long as the head, and extends 

 behind the posterior edge of the orbit ; diameter of latter 2^ in 

 the length of the snout. Lips well developed. Teeth the vomerine 

 band does not extend posteriorly so far as the maxillary one, the 

 mandibular teeth divided by a longitudinal groove. Fins pec- 

 toral equals about two sevenths of the length of the head. Colour 

 brownish above, becoming yellowish on the sides and beneath ; 

 the whole of the upper surface of the body, in some examples, 

 covered with black spots and blotches, occasionally continued on 

 to the dorsal fin, which has a light edging; anal with a dark mar- 

 ginal band and a light outer edging. 



" It is an irritable creature, swelling its head whenever angered ; 

 and constantly, when it can, buries itself in putrescent carcases." 

 (Ham. SucJi.) 



Hob. Islands in the Indian Ocean, continent of India and 

 Burma. This eel is common at the Andaman Islands. It probably 

 ranges to the Malay Archipelago, Formosa, and the Pacific. It 

 attains four feet and upwards in length, and is much rarer on the 

 hills than in the plains. 



96. (2.) Anguilla bicolor. 



Anguilla bicolor, McClelland, Cal. Jottrn. Nat. Hist, v, p. 178, t. 6, 

 fig. 1 ; Day, Fish. India, p. 6GO, pi. clxvii, fig. 3, pi. clxviii, fig. 2. 

 Jce-fa/i-dah, Andamanese. 



B. xii. D. 220-245. P. 18. A. 200-220. C. 10-12. 

 Length of head 3| to 31 in the distance between the snout and 

 the vent ; length of tail one fourth to one sixth more than that of 

 the trunk. Eyes rather variable in size, usually about 2^ dia- 



