54 Zoological Society. 



having been unfortunately destroyed by the wasting of the alcohol in 

 which it was kept. 



Fam. Gadid^. 



13. Phycis furcattjs, Flem. (not Bowdich) ; Yarr. Brit. Fish, 

 ed. 1. ii. 201. {Le Merlus barbu, Duham. Cuv. R. An. ed. 2. 

 ii. p. 335.) 



A single example occurred May 8, 1845 ; not quite agreeing with 

 the figure in the ' British Fishes,' yet certainly distinct from the com- 

 mon "Abrotea" of Madeira (P. mediterraneus, Lar.), of which, on 

 the other hand, the P.furcatus of Bowdich (Excurs. p. 122. f. 28) 

 was unquestionably a mere accidentally fork-tailed individual. 



Fam. EcHENEiD^. 



14. EcHENEis viTTATA, Suppl. to Syuops. in Trans. Zool. Soc. 

 vol. iii. part 1. p. 17, and Hist. Fish. Mad. p. 77. t. 11. 



The acquisition of an adult example measuring 2 feet &\ inches in 

 length, has proved the fish above described to have been a young in- 

 dividual of jF. vittata, Riippell (Neu. Wirbel. p. 82). It is fortunate 

 that the happy coincidence of name necessitates no change or con- 

 fusion in rendering justice to my learned friend's prior claim in the 

 establishment of this well-marked species. The lateral dark band or 

 vitta becomes indistinct in adult individuals. In the large full-grown 

 example above mentioned it had disappeared entirely. 



Fam. MuR^NiD^. 



Gen. Leptorhynchus, nob. 



Gen. Char. Caput scolopaciforme, callo elongato distinctum ,• 

 maxillis in rostrum tenue productisy utraque dentibus minutissi- 

 mis limce instar scabra ; rictupone oculos diducto. Nares oculis 

 contiguce approximatce, simplices nee tentaculatce. Oculi magni. 

 Corpus nudum anguilliforme compressum, gracile, elongatum ; 

 postice longissime attenuato-productum filiforme, apice acuto. 

 Aperturee branchiales sat magnce, ante pinnas pectorales ob- 

 lique deorsumfissce. Yvawse, pectorales distinctae lanceolatce, sat 

 magnce ; pinna dorsali ad nucham paullo ante, anali ad gulam 

 paullo post pinnas pectorales incipient e ; utraque usque ad api- 

 cem Cauda; continuata, membranacea, nee cute cooperta, sed ra- 

 diis sat validis distinctis. 



15. Leptorhynchus Leuchtenbergi. {The Snipe-Eel.) 

 I am indebted for an opportunity of describing this interesting new 

 type of Muroenidce to the favour of His Imperial Highness the Due 

 de Leuchtenberg, to whom an example was brought by a fisherman 

 in January last. It approaches the Anguillidce by its well-developed 

 pectoral fins. The prolonged beak-like muzzle also reminds one of 

 that of Leptognathus, Swainson. The unique individual examined, 

 which measured 2 feet 9 inches in length, scarcely half an inch in 

 height, and four lines in thickness, is included in the extensive col- 



