GENUS MURiENA. ?i 



J short description of five {supposed) ?iew species of the 

 genus Murana, discovered by Mr, Le Sueur, in the^ 

 year 1816. — by C. A. Le Sueur. Read August 19, 

 18 17. 



Genus MURiENA. La Cepede. 



Generic Characters. Pectoral, dorsal, caudal and 

 anal fins; nostrils tubular; eyes covered by the commoa 

 skin; body serpentiform and mucous. 



1. MuRiENA rostrata. Snout elongated, pointed and 

 strait; eyes large, and situated very near the angle of tlie 

 mouth; body tumid in the centre, and narrowed to a point 

 at both extremities; upper parts varied with gray and 

 olive^ sometimes of a slate blue, lower parts white; dorsal 

 and anal fins reddish, which colour deepens as it ap- 

 proaches the tail; pectoral fins small, acute and bluish. 



Length from eighteen to twenty-four inches. 

 Inhabits the lakes Cayuga and Geneva, in the state of 

 Newyork; is esteemed for the table. 



2. M. Bostoniensis, Jaws acute and short; pectoral 

 fins short and subovate; body subequal, above of a dark 



olivaceous brown, throat and abdomen grayish, region of 

 the anus yellow ochre, towards the tail reddish. Length 

 about twenty-four inches. 



This Murasna is sometimes brought to market in the 

 town of Boston, Massachusetts; it is not much valued as 

 an article of food. Its vulgar name is Snake Eel. 



3. M. serpentina* Pectoral fins^ very large and subo^ 

 ate; head large, smut short; anterior part of the hody 



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