APODAL FISHES OF AMERICA AND EUROPE. 
617 
of which belongs to the present genus, and because it had been properly 
restricted to 0. serpens before it was connected with the present group. 
The confusion arose from the supposition of Cuvier that Ophisurus ophis 
Lac^pede was an eel with blunt teeth, unlike the ophis of Linnaeus. 
A careful comparison of specimens of Ophichthus xysturus with the 
original description of Myrichthys tigrinus leaves no doubt of the iden- 
tity of the two species. We have furthermore before us a specimen 
($810) from the National Museum, of which the record has been lost, 
but evidently going back to Girard’s time. This specimen is undoubt- 
edly the original type of Myrichthys tigrinus , and agrees fully with 
Ophichthus xysturus. 
ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN SPECIES OF MYRICHTHYS. 
a. Spots on body large, blackish, without pale centers. 
b. Spots on anterior part of body near lateral line oblong, those on head rather 
large ; dorsal with dark spots; anal immaculate; dark spots on sides in 3 or 
4 rows; a row of 3 spots from gill-opening to above eye; 4 spots in a series 
below this; 3 to 5 spots on each side of snout ; lower jaw with 3 large spots ; 
head 4 in trunk ; cleft of mouth 3 in head. ( Valenciennes.) Pardalis, 49. 
bb. Spots on sides of body all circular or nearly so ; those on anterior part of head 
small and numerous; general color brown, lighter below ; belly almost plain; 
4 longitudinal rows of round black blotches on each side of body, the two 
middle series often forming one irregular row, the central row very close to 
the median and consisting of small spots not much larger than the eye, spots 
in the uppermost row often running up on the dorsal fin, each dorsal row run- 
ning forward terminating in the snout ; 8 or 9 spots in each dorsal row from 
the tip of snout to vertical from gill-opening ; a row of 5 to 6 spots from gill- 
opening to above eye; two other rows running diagonally downwards and 
backwards from the eye ; 7 to 8 spots on each side of snout ; jaw with about 
a dozen spots on each side; dorsal with dark margin ; anal plain. Head 3| 
in trunk, 11 in total length; eye 2£ in snout, situated a little back of middle 
of gape, which is 3 in the head ; snout 5£ in head ; pectoral, measured from 
top of base, about*equal to eye Tigrinus, 50. 
aa. Spots on body large, dark, most of them with a distinct pale center. Body dark 
gray above, white below ; on each side two series of large roundish dark spots, 
with pale centers, one row lying along the dorsal fin, the other a little below 
the lateral line ; about 35 spots in each row ; a large spot in front of dorsal fin; 
snout with about 5 spots on each side; lower jaw with small dusky spots ; 
dorsal fin with a dusky edge and with faint dusky blotches ; anal plain. Eye 
2 in snout ; snout 6 in head, and 4 in the distance from the tip of the snout 
to the beginning of the dorsal fin ; cleft of mouth 3£ in head ; head 4 in the 
trunk, and a little more than 8 in the tail Oculatus, 51. 
aaa. Spots on body large, nearly round, and whitish in color ; ground color dark 
brown, pale below ; two series of round whitish blotches on each side of body, 
about 40 spots in each series ; spots somewhat larger and more distinct anteri- 
orly, where their diameter is nearly equal to the length of snout ; head with 
irregular, round, whitish spots on each side ; dorsal brownish, margined with 
dusky ; other fins pale. Snout 5$ in head and twice the diameter of the eye ; 
cleft of mouth 3 in head ; head 4 in trunk; head and truuk 1£ in tail ; dorsal 
beginning at a point slightly nearer the base of pectorals than eye ; body 
extremely elongate, the diameter about £ length of head Acumixatus, 52. 
