MURyENOIDS. 303 



in living fishes, of some species does not separate them so vei-y widely from 

 others if it is remembered that the habit of burrowing into the dead bodies 

 of other animals is not rare among the eels. 



The members of this gronp inhabit the marine and the fresh Avaters of 

 the torrid and the temperate regions. There is no doubt whatever that 

 future research will extend the distribution into the polar regions ; for 

 being found at all depths, from the surface to 2500 fathoms, and in tem- 

 peratures as low as 36^ F. or even lower, there is no apparent reason for 

 absence of eels wherever other marine fishes occur. 



Excepting the areas near the poles, the vertical distribution as now 

 known compares well with that of any of the other groups. The greatest 

 depths known to be inhabited by mura3noids were noted by the " Challen- 

 ger " for Lahlcldhi/s hifans Gunt. at 2500 fathoms, and JVanic/iUnjs scolojmceus 

 Rich, at 2369, in the northwestern Atlantic. In the northeastern Atlantic 

 the "Talisman" reported Sijnaphobranchus j^i-nnatus Gron. from 1749, and 

 Serrivomcr Richardi Vaill. from 1G37 fathoms. The present material col- 

 lected by the " Albatross " from the eastern tropical Pacific contains a new 

 species of Labichthys, L. Bowersii, from 2232 fathoms; and the "Challenger" 

 secured Ilistiohranchus hafhjjhius Glint, at 2050 fiithoms in the middle of the 

 north Pacific, also at 1875, south of Yedo, and at 1375, midway between 

 Cape Good Hope and Kerguelen Island. This vessel took Cijema atnim 

 Giint. in the South Pacific and the Antarctic at 1500 and at 1800 fathoms. 

 The deepest captures by the " Investigator " in the northern parts of the 

 Indian Ocean were of Gavialicejjs microns Ale. at 1370 and of Promyllantor 

 jnu-purcus Ale. at 1000 fathoms. 



In the collection at hand there are sixteen species of the group, thirteen 

 or fourteen of wdiich are first described below. The list includes a species 

 of Uroconger, two species of Congermurtena, one of Congrosonui, three of 

 Ophichthys, one of Xenomystax, one of Chlopsis, two of Venefica, one of 

 Serrivomer, one of Labichthys, one of Nemichthys and two of Echidna. 

 Species of the genera Uroconger, Venefica and Serrivomer have not hereto- 

 fore been reported from the Pacific. Uroconger wms found in Chinese and 

 East Indian waters, and more recently off the coast of Europe and near 

 Havana. The new species of the genus, U. varidcns, is most closely allied 

 to the species taken off the coast of Cuba, which species, it may be added, 

 is different from that off the northern coasts of Africa to Europe and is 

 entitled to a different name. The Cuban species is figured in the "Oceanic 



