23,2 H err e: Philippine Eels 147 



China and is found in shallow waters south and westward from 

 Hongkong and Manila to the Sea of Oman, on the coast of 

 Arabia. 



As this paper goes to press I am in receipt of a specimen, 

 192 millimeters long, obtained at Luboc Beach, Lapaz, Iloilo 

 Province, by Mr. Angel Villanueva, of the College of Agricul- 

 ture, Los Baiios. 



MUR^NESOCID^] 



Scaleless eels, often large and robust, the narrow tongue 

 fastened to the floor of the mouth or only its tip free, the jaws 

 elongate with strong teeth, the middle row on the vomer com- 

 posed of large canines; gill openings rather wide; posterior 

 nostrils not labial ; pectoral, dorsal, and anal fins well developed, 

 the last two confluent with the caudal. 



Separated by Gill and given family rank on the basis of the 

 skeletal differences. A small family, resembling the Lepto- 

 cephalidse in habits and appearance. Most of the genera are 

 American. 



Genus MU&ENESOX McClelland 

 Mursenesox McClelland, Calcutta Journ. Nat. Hist. 4 (1843) 40S. 



The robust elongate body is subcylindrical, becoming com- 

 pressed posteriorly; origin of dorsal above or slightly in advance 

 of gill openings; head elongate, mouth large and extending well 

 beyond eyes, with prominent, conical upper jaw, tip elongated, 

 rounded, somewhat enlarged, and separated by a notch from 

 rest of snout; anterior nostrils behind notch of snout and with 

 a short tube; posterior nostrils in front of middle of eye, but 

 at some distance from it; tongue adnate; maxillary teeth conical, 

 in several rows, partly separated by a toothless interspace; 

 teeth of mandible conical, in several rows, the outer of which 

 may point outward, and the anterior teeth enlarged canines; 

 vomer with several long series of teeth, the middle one of 

 strong conical or compressed canines; gill openings rather wide, 

 beginning opposite upper margin of base of pectorals and 

 separated from each other by a narrow interspace; lateral line 

 conspicuous; anal opening in anterior half of body. 



Large congerlike eels, important as food; found in aHwarra 

 seas and notable for the large, strong teeth on vomer. We have 

 two of the three East Indian species. The Filipinos do not 

 distinguish these eels very clearly, the Tagalogs sometimes call- 

 ing them palos or pindangd, the Visayans obud, ubod, or palos, 



