196 FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 



the gill-opening, which are stated to be of value in determining 

 the species. Two examples in the British Museum are from 

 Ceram and Amboyna respectively. 



At Funafuti this eel is called " Foussi " or " Poussi." 



BUROENSIS, Bleeker. 



Murcena buroensis, Bleeker, Nat. Tydschr. Ned. Ind., xiii., 

 p. 79; Atlas Ichth., p. 105, pi. clxxv., fig. 2. 



A smaller eel is with some hesitancy assigned to this species ; 

 while its general characteristics agree with the description, the 

 colour is slightly different. As, however, the colouration in the 

 Muraenidae varies much according to age or other conditions, it is 

 not of such specific value as has unfortunately been relied upon 

 to determine the many described species. Our example, preserved 

 in spirits, is of a greenish-brown colour, the dorsal surface includ- 

 ing the fin and the sides from head to tail closely punctated with 

 black, none of the dots being as large as a pin's head. 



The ventral surface especially anteriorly is immaculate, pos- 

 teriorly the spots descend, and the last inch or so of the tail, 

 including the surrounding fin, is dotted like the upper surface. 



It would appear that the Funafuti native name for an eel is 

 "Poussi" ("Foussi"), this species being distinguished as "Poussi- 

 kenna." Eels were so exceedingly numerous among the reefs 

 round the island, that the native boys used to secure them by 

 beating them with a palm leaf stem as they swam in the water. 

 The three species were obtained in this manner. Eels were also 

 caught in the rock pools by means of hoop nets. 



BALISTID^E. 



BALISTES, Artedi. 

 BALISTES FUSCUS, Block. 



Batistes fuscus, Bloch, Schn., p. 471; Bleeker, Atlas Ichth., 

 p. Ill, pi. ccxxv., fig. 3. 



Two adult examples, wherein the caudal lobes are greatly 

 produced and the anterior portions of the dorsal and anal fins 

 much elevated, even more than in Bleeker's figure. The amount 

 of development, which both these fins and the caudal undergoes 

 as the fish attains maturity, will be well seen by comparing this 

 figure with that of Day's,* which represents a young example of 

 the natural size. Riippellf has illustrated the species of inter- 

 mediate age. 



Funafuti native name, " Oom." 



* Day Fishes of India, pi. clxxviii., fig. 4. 

 t Kiippell Atlas, pi. vii., fig. 2. 



