ZEBRA MURjENA, 31 



direction. This species is a native of the African 

 seas, being found near the coasts of Guinea, where, 

 though known to be a good food, it is not eaten by 

 the negroes, who consider it as a kind of sea snake. 



ZEBRA MUR^ENA, 



*- 



Muraena Zebra. M. atro-fusca, fasciis transversis linear ib us 

 distantibiis albis, svbtus irregulariter concurrentibm. 



Blackish-brown finless Muraena, with transverse, linear, di- 

 stant, white bands, meeting irregularly beneath. 



Zebra Gymnothorax. Naturalist's Miscellany, pi. 322. 



Serpens marina Surinamensis foemina Muraenis valde affinis. 

 Seb. 3. t. 70. f. 3. 



THIS species, winch grows to the length of two 

 or three feet, is a native of the American seas, and 

 is readily distinguished by the strongly marked di- 

 stribution of its colours; the rich brown, which 

 constitutes the ground-colour, being surrounded, at 

 considerable distance, by narrow, white bands, which 

 on the lower part of the sides and under the abdo- 

 men unite or anastomose here and there, so as to 

 form subtriangular markings in some parts and 

 rounded or ocellated ones in others: the head is 

 rather large or tumid, and the mouth and eyes 

 small: there is no distinct appearance either of dorsal 

 or caudal fins. This animal seems to have been 

 first described by Seba. A beautiful specimen 

 occurs in the Museum of Mr, John Hunter. 



