242 



Pectorals present or absent. Anus in anterior 

 half of length. Tongue not free. Teeth in one 

 or more series or in bands. Branchial openings 



in pharynx wide slits Myridae p. 272. 



3. Body scaleless. Dorsal and anal if present, not 

 reaching end of tail, which is free, the caudal being 

 absent. Anterior nostrils on the border of the upper 

 lip or on ventral surface of snout. Pectorals present 

 or absent. Anus before or behind middle of length. 

 Tongue not free. Teeth in one or more series or 



in bands. Branchial openings in pharynx wide slits. Ophichthyidae p. 280. 

 /?. Anus near gillopenings or its distance from them less 

 than length of head. Jaws exceedingly slender and 

 much produced, covered as also the vomer with close 

 set, recurved teeth. Pectorals present. Bathypelagic. 

 Branchial openings in pharynx wide slits Nemichthyidae p. 326. 



i. Fam. ANGUILLIDAE. 



Scales small, more or less linear, embedded in the skin in small 

 groups, which are placed obliquely at right angles to those of the 

 neighbouring groups. Very elongate, anteriorly subcylindrical, 

 posteriorly compressed. Anus in the anterior half of the length; 

 the origin of the dorsal above, somewhat behind or before it, 

 but always inserted at some distance from the head. Dorsal, 

 caudal and anal confluent. Pectorals well developed, with the rays 

 unbranched. Head moderate, conical. Eyes covered by skin, 

 without free orbital margin. Posterior nostrils in front of eye, 

 anterior nostrils tubular and near anterior margin of snout. Cleft 

 of mouth slightly oblique, extending below or behind the eyes. 

 Lips laterally thick. Tongue anteriorly and laterally free. Ethmoid 

 with intermaxillary plate not projecting at end of snout beyond 

 the end of maxillaries. Teeth conical, small, in cardiform bands 

 on jaws and vomer. Lateral line distinct. Gillopenings vertical 

 slits in front and below base of pectorals and separated by a 

 broad interspace. Branchial openings in pharynx are wide slits. 



i. Anguilla Shaw. 



(SHAW, Gen. Zool. IV. 1803, p. 15). 



For characters of the single genus see those of the family. 



Catadromeus fishes, passing their egg- and larval stage 



(Leptocephalus] in sea (see at the end of the Apodes], entering 



