94 MR. J. T. CUNNINGHAM ON MAKINE FISHES [Jan. 18. 



appeared to be milt ; under the microscope particles were seen in 

 this liquid which resembled the heads of spermatozoa, but none 

 of them possessed tails. When the specimen was opened a narrow 

 testis was found on each side not more than \ inch in breadth. 

 "When a piece of the testis was teased up and examined micro- 

 scopically, particles like those seen in the supposed milt were 

 seen, and I concluded that these were ripe spermatozoa which 

 had undergone partial decomposition, the specimen having been 

 dead some time. -I concluded that the specimen was a male 

 which had spawned and was almost entirely spent, and as it had 

 been taken with bait and its stomach was full of food, it is 

 evident that this species of M%ircena does not die after spawning 

 like the common conger and the freshwater eel of Europe. 



It occurs also in the Mediterranean, at Madeira, and the 

 Azores. 



MuE^ENA MOEINGA. 



Murama moringa Cuv. Regne Anim. ; Giinther, B. M. Cat. Fishes, 

 viii. p. 120; Melliss. 



Murcenophis rostrata Casteln. Anim. Am. Sud, Poissons, p. 80, 

 pi. xlii. fig. 1. 



Murcenophis curvilineata ibicl. p. 81, pi. xlii. fig. 2. 



Common Conger, Melliss. 



This species has innumerable confluent brownish-black spots 

 separated by a fine network of the white ground-colour. The 

 teeth are uniserial with a diastema behind large canines in the 

 mandible and two long vomerine teeth which are hinged. I 

 obtained a single specimen 32 1 inches long from an albacore-boat 

 when I was out in another ; it occurs also at Bahia and the West 

 Indies. All the Muramas are called congers at St. Helena and 

 this one is known as the common conger, but the true Conger 

 vulgaris of Europe, according to Melliss, is also abundant, 

 although 1 did not meet with a specimen. This species occurs in 

 various parts of the tropical Atlantic ; specimens in the National 

 Collection come from Bahia, Ascension, Jamaica, Cuba, and 

 St. Helena. 



Ophichthys eegius. 



Ophistcrus regius (Shaw) Richards. "Voy. 'Erebus ' and ' Terror,' 

 Fishes, p. 106. 



Ophichthys regius Gunther, B. M. Cat. Fishes, viii. p. 66 ; Melliss. 



Sea-Snake, Melliss. 



This species is characterized by the single series of large con- 

 spicuous brown spots on a grey ground along each side of the 

 body, with smaller spots in between. I obtained only one 

 specimen, which was caught on a mackerel-line off Egg Island ; 

 it is 27| inches long. 



Peculiar to St. Helena. 



