3 2I 



5 teeth in a A, the point directed forward. Gillopenings strongly 

 oblique, small, rather close together, their distance about equal 

 to their length. Superiorly and anteriorly before them is a 

 duplicature of their anterior membrane. Colour of upper half 

 brownish, lower half yellowish. Upper surface of head and neck 

 with a double row of yellow round spots or ocelli, vertex 

 with a yellow transverse streak; pores of lateral line in a 

 yellow spot. Length more than 325 mm. 



Nom. in dig.: Tindjankassik (Priaman). 



Habitat: Sumatra (Priaman); Nias!; Island Nako!; Java 

 (South coast); Madura-strait!; Batjan. Samoa, Tahiti, 

 Viti Levu. 



This eel burrows in sandy shores. The Javanese fishermen dig 

 for it and use it as a bait. 



3. Sphagebranchus orientalis (Me Clell.) [Fig. 154, p. 318]. 



Dalophis orientalis McClelland, Calcutta Journ. Nat. Hist. V. 1845, p. 213. 



Lamnostoma pic turn Kaup, Cat. Apod, fish 1856, p. 23. 



Sphagebranchus orientalis Kner, Novara Fische, 1865 1867, p. 380. 



Ophichthys orientalis Gunther, Cat. Brit. Mus. VIII. 1870, p. 87. 



Ophichthys orientalis Day, Fishes of India 4. 18781888, p. 665. 



Ophichthys orientalis Sauvage, Hist. nat. de Madagascar XVI. Poissons 1891, p. 501. 



Head 8, 3.1 times in trunk; head and trunk slightly longer 

 than tail. Eye about 20, about 5 times in snout. Snout pointed, 

 strongly prominent, with the anterior nostrils on its lower 

 surface. Cleft of mouth one fourth of length of head. Distance 

 of origin of dorsal from gillopenings one seventh of length of 

 head. Dorsal and anal low, ending somewhat before tip of 

 tail. Teeth acute, equal, uniserial. Gillopenings on the ventral 

 side forming oblique slits, which are anteriorly converging with 

 their curved anterior part. Their anterior membrane forms a 

 double fold. Brownish above, yellowish below. Length over 

 300 mm. [Description made after a specimen of 196 mm. in 

 the British Museum from British New Guinea, the only specimen 

 known from our faunistic province]. 



Habitat: British New Guinea!. Southern India; Ceylon; 

 Madagascar. 



4. Sphagebranchus klazingai M. Web. 



Sphagebranchus Klazingai Max Weber, Siboga-Expeditie, Fische 1913, p. 47- 



Height 51; head 12.7, 5 times in trunk; head and trunk 

 INDO-AUSTRALIAN FISHES III. 21 



