308 



APODAL 



MALACOPTERYGJJ. MVR1EN1D1E. 



THE MUR^ENA. 



Murtena Helena, LINN^US. BLOCK, pt. v. pi. 152. 



,, La Murene, CUVIER, Regne An. t. ii. p. 352. 



,, The Murasne, COUCH, MS. 



Generic Characters. Body elongated ; no pectoral fins ; branchial opening 

 a minute orifice on each side ; a single row of teeth in each jaw ; dorsal and 

 anal fin very low, united. 



MR. COUCH is the only British naturalist I have heard of 

 who has obtained an example of this beautifully marked 

 species on the English coast. The following is Mr. Couch's 

 account, copied from his MS. : 



A specimen, the first on record as a British fish, was 

 caught by a fisherman of Polperro, October 8th, 1834. 



Its length was four feet four inches ; body very flaccid, 

 rounded anteriorly, compressed and tapering towards the tail : 

 the whole body seemed plump. Before the eyes it is slender 

 and sharp ; jaws equal ; gape moderately large ; teeth long, 

 incurved, sharp, separate, in one row, a row on the palate ; 

 tongue adherent, scarcely perceptible ; a nasal barb on each 



