1862.] OF FISHES FROM MADEIRA. 169 
there appear to be two rows. Gill-clefts 4; inch long, narrow, 
placed about the middle of the sides, a little posterior to commence- 
ment of dorsal fin, and 23 inches from snout. The dorsal fin com- 
mences at the nape, 2,4; inches from snout, is lower in front than 
behind, and unites with the caudal fin, like the anal fin, without a 
break. Vent about 9 inches from tip of mandible, in anterior half 
of body. Anal fin commences near vent, and is very low at first. 
All the fins are covered with skin like that of the body. 
The specimen was taken in the sea near Madeira, in the month of 
June 1859, and has been deposited in the British Museum. 
Fam. SyNAPHOBRANCHID&. 
SyNAPHOBRANCHUS, gen. nov. 
Dorsal, anal, and caudal fins united. Pectoral fins present. Gill- 
openings in close proximity on the under side of the body, having a 
single external aperture, with an internal dividing membrane. 
Branchiz four. A row of acute teeth in each jaw, with an external 
band of minute teeth. Teeth on the vomer and on the mesial line 
of the palate. Scales on the skin. 
This genus forms the type of a new family of Malacopterygian 
Apodals, which differs from all previously established families, except 
the Symbranchide, in having the gill-openings close together on the 
ventral aspect ; and from the Symbranchide it is distinguished by 
the presence of fins. Moreover, from the Murenide it is separated 
by the possession of pectoral fins, and from the Congride by the 
possession of scales and by the vent being before the commencement 
of the dorsal fin. 
SyNAPHOBRANCHUS KAUPII, sp. 0. 
Anguilliform, compressed, attenuate in both directions from the 
neighbourhood of the vent ; of a dull-brown colour, darker on the 
belly. The skin contains small oval scales, set obliquely and at right 
angles to each other. 
The head is subcompressed, depressed, and flat above ; it exhibits 
no gibbosity, nor is the throat swollen. The eye is covered with skin; 
it is of moderate size, and placed at the side of the head, over the 
middle of the oral cleft, three diameters distant from the tip of the 
snout. The posterior nostril is in front of the eye and has a raised 
border. The anterior nostril has a short tube, which does not quite 
reach to the lip, and is attached in front to the snout, the orifice being 
directed forwards. Rictus deep. The jaws are narrow, pointed, sub- 
equal, and without barbels. The lips are cartilaginous, especially the 
upper lip, which forms a conical snout, projecting much beyond the 
jaw. There are teeth in both jaws, consisting of an inner row of short, 
slender, conical, pointed, closely-set teeth, with an exterior band of 
scobinate teeth, which become reduced to a single row in front. On 
the vomer is a group of from nine to fifteen conical teeth, the first two 
or three of which are short, the others rather longer than those in 
the jaw. On the mesial line of the palate there is a row of minute, 
