398 



the cleft of mouth, which goes 2 l / 2 to 3 times in the length 

 of head, is horizontal and shuts completely. Snout somewhat 

 rounded, about 7 times in length of head and nearly twice or more 

 than twice the length of eye. Anterior nostrils in a conspicuous 

 tube, posterior nostrils in youth with a rim, later on in a short 

 tube. Gillopenings smaller than eye, about in the middle of 

 the height. Maxillary and mandibulary teeth in 3 series: an 

 outer series of numerous sessile, compressed, smaller teeth, close 

 together, and 2 inner series of less numerous teeth, which are 

 longer and depressible; in young specimens there are only 2 

 series. The outer maxillary series is continued on the inter- 

 maxillary plate and encloses numerous, irregularly placed, 

 longer depressible teeth. Vomer with a short row of pointed 

 teeth, anteriorly biserial, posteriorly uniserial, in young ones in 

 one series. Yellowish, brownish or brownish gray, lighter below, 

 finely or coarsely marbled with darker. Length over 600 mm. 

 [A specimen of Gymnomuraena pantherina of BLEEKER'S col- 

 lection in the Leiden Museum seen by us], 



N o m. i n d i g. : Sawali lasavun (Simalur). 



Habitat: Sumatra (Benkulen); Nias!; Simalur!; Java (Bata- 

 via!, Patjitan, Wijnkoops Bay!); Paternoster Islands!; Flores; 

 Solor; Timor; Letti Islands!; Aru Islands; Celebes (Dongala!); 

 Muaras Reef!; Sangir Islands!; Buru; Sula Islands!; Ambon!; 

 Ceram; Ternate; Halmaheira; Morotai; Waigeu; New Guinea 

 (Tanah merah!). Zanzibar; Aldabra Island; Madras; Anda- 

 mans; Philippines; Pacific Islands to Sandwich Islands. 



LARVAL STAGES OF APODES. 

 LEPTOCEPHALI. 



We know, at least of a number of genera of Apodes (Anguilla, 

 Conger, Congromuraena, Muraena, Chlopsis, Ophisurus, Ophicli- 

 thys, Nettastoma, Synaphobranchus), that they undergo during 

 their development a metamorphosis passing through different 

 larval stages known as Leptocephalus, Tilurns, Hyoprorns. 



It is probable that, if not all, at least the majority of the 

 Apodes pass through such a metamorphosis, although this 

 metamorphosis may not be everywhere as complicated as f.i. 

 in the atlantic species of Anguilla. 



The interesting development of these species, first made 



