CONGERMURiENA CAUDALIS. 305 



Dorsal origin above the base of the pectoral ; anal origin two lengtlis of 

 the head behind the end of tlie snout, below the fifty-first ray of the dorsal. 

 Dorsal and anal moderately deep, continuous with the caudal, which is 

 small, pointed, and about as long as the snout. The caudal pedicel is 

 more tapering and slender than in Congcrmuroina •prorlgcr and C caudalis. 

 Pectorals as long as the mouth, moderately broad, rounded on the outer 

 edge. Lateral line distinct, arched in a low curve above the gill chamber, 

 with a larger lower and a median series of minute pores, which number on 

 the specimens examined from one hundred and forty-five to one hundred 

 and forty-nine. 



Blackish ; fins lighter, dorsal and anal with a narrow border of black, 

 pectoral rather darker in its upper half; linings of month to abdomen white 

 or silvery covered with more or less of blackish. Total length twelve and 

 one half inches. 



An individual of the length of six and one half inches is much lighter in 

 color, the fins are more narrowly margined with black, the muscular regions 

 are light reddish brown with puncticnlations of darker near the bases of 

 the fins ; it is whitish on the lower half of the head and on the belly, the 

 lighter color reachhig up behind the cheek and on the gill flap to the middle 

 of the side, and the lateral line forms a rather wide stripe of white which 

 narrows backward. The snout is shorter, the eye larger, and the caudal 

 region more slender than in large specimens. 



Congermuraena caudalis sp. n. 



Br. r. 17; D. 201-207; A. 147-158; P. 15-16; C. 15; Pores 120. 



Comparatively elongate, slender, and compressed ; caudal region retain- 

 ing a considerable amount of its thickness and depth toward the end of the 

 column ; tapering forward from the shoulders to a sharp point at the end of 

 the snout ; depth about one thirteenth of the total length, and length of the 

 body cavity nearly two fifths. Head long, one fifth of the entire length, 

 rather slender and sharp on the snout, tapering from the nape, somewhat 

 flattened or depressed on the crown along the median keel of the skull. 

 Snout long, protruding beyond the mouth more than half the length of the 

 orbit, little wider than deep, .slightly rounded across the end. one and one 



20 



