PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. 479 



This species, which is found in the Mediterranean, has been included in 

 the British Fauna by Berkenhout and Turton, but it is not said on what 

 authority. It is distinguished from the last by its smaller size, and by some 

 spots on the snout, a transverse band on the occiput, and two rows of dots 

 on the nape, of a whitish colour*. 



(5.) OPHISURUS, Lacep. 



(31.) O. Ophis, Lacep. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. torn. n. p. 196. Flera. 

 Brit. An. p. 200. Murcena Ophis, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 425. 

 Bloch, Ichth. pi. 154. Berkenh. Syn. vol. i. p. 64. Ophis maculata, 

 Turk Brit. Faun. p. 87. 



Like the last, a very doubtful native. Given as British by Berkenhout, 

 but without any remarks. Of a whitish or silvery colour, with several 

 longitudinal rows of dark oval spots. Length from three to four feet. 

 Inhabits the European seas. 



(32.) 0. Serpens, Lacep. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. torn. n. p. 198. 

 Murcena Serpens, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 425. Serpens 

 marinus, Merr. Pinax, p. 185. Sibb. Scot. Illust. part ii. torn. n. 

 p. 23. 



Whether this, or the last, be the species alluded to by Merrett and 

 Sibbald under the name of Serpens marinus, is very doubtful. Neither is 

 it known on what authority either of these naturalists has inserted it in the 

 British Fauna. The 0. Serpens of Lac6pede is distinguished from the 

 0. Ophis, by its being without spots. It also grows to a larger size, at- 

 taining the length of five or six feet. A native of the Mediterranean. 



GEN. 62. MUR^NA, Thunb. 



167- M. Helena, Linn. (Common Murcena.) Oli- 

 vaceous brown, marbled with yellow. 



M. Helena, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 425. Bloch, Ichth. pi. 153. 

 Mursena, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 103. tab. G. 1. Roman Mursena, 

 Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. iv. part i. p. 26. pi. 2. Murene commune, 

 Guv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 252. 



LENGTH. Three feet and upwards. Cuv. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Body, in old fish, compressed at the sides, in 

 young, round : head small : mouth large : jaws armed with sharp pointed 

 teeth, a little distant from each other: palate also armed with teeth: 

 two tubular orifices near the eyes, and two at the extremity of the snout : 

 gill-opening large : dorsal, anal, and caudal, united ; forming together 

 a low fleshy fin, invested by the common skin, commencing on the back 

 at a pretty considerable distance from the head, passing round the tail, 

 and terminating underneath the body at the vent : no pectorals or ven- 

 trals. BLOCK. (Colours.) " Of a dusky greenish brown, pretty thickly 

 variegated on all parts with dull yellow subangular marks or patches, 

 disposed in a somewhat different manner in different individuals, and 

 generally scattered over with smaller. specklings of brown; the whole 

 forming a kind of obscurely reticular pattern." SHAW. 



An individual of this species, measuring four feet four inches in 

 length, was caught by a fisherman at Polperro, in Cornwall, in October 

 1834t. I am not aware that it had been ever taken previously in our 



* Cuvier, /. c. 



t This circumstance was communicated by Mr. Couch to Mr. Yarrell, to which latter gentleman 

 I am indebted for the knowledge of it. 



