622 REFORM OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Etymology: Bascanion , the black snake, from malignant. 
This species is known only from the original- type, taken at Egmont 
Key. In its short head and developed pectoral it differs sufficiently 
from Bascanichthys scuticaris. 
Genus 13.— CkECULA. 
G'aecula Vahl, Skrivter af Naturhistorie-Selskabet, 3d Band, 149, 1794 pterygera ). 
Dalophis Rafinesque, Caratteri, 69, 1810 {serpa; bimaculata). 
? Pterurus Rafinesque, Indice, 59 ( flexuosus ) (name preoccupied). 
Lamnostoma Kaup, Apodes 23, 1856 ( pictus ). 
Anguisurus Kaup, 1. c., 24 ( punctulatus ). 
Type: Ccecula pteryg era Vahl. 
Etymology: A diminutive, from coccus , blind. 
This genus contains several species all belonging to the Old World. 
It is allied to Sphagebranchus , differing in the possession of more or less 
developed fins. It is even closer to Ophichthus , from which the absence 
of pectorals separates it, leaving the group called Quassiremus inter- 
mediate. The name Ccecula has clear priority over Dalophis. 
ANALYSIS OF THE EUROPEAN SPECIES OF CCECULA. 
a Pectoral minute or wholly wanting: body slender, terete; mouth rather small; 
jaws weak; eye very small; teeth uniserial in jaws and on vomer; gill-slits 
vertical, tbe slit a little longer than the isthmus; dorsal fin inserted about a 
head's length behind the gill-openings; head 6 in trunk, 7f in tail; cleft of 
mouth 4^ in head; eye 3 in snout, the anterior edge over middle of gape ; snout 
6f in head, interorbital width equal to isthmus. Color (in spirits) plain pink- 
ish-brown, * lighter below... Imberbis, 56. 
56. CA3CULA IMBERBIS. 
Sphagebranclms imberbis De la Roche, Ann. Mus., xiii, 360, pi. 25, fig. 17, 1809 ( fide 
Giinther); Kaup, Apodes, 25, 1856 (Toulon). 
Ophichthys imberbis Gunther, vm, 84, 1870 (Sicily; Nice; A’giers). 
Leptocephalus Spallanzani Risso, Ichth. Nice, 85, 1810 (Eza). 
Dalophis bimaculata Rafinesque, Caratteri, 69, tab. 7, fig. 2, 1810 (Sicily). 
Dalophis serpa Rafinesque, Caratteri, 69, tab. 7, fig. 3, 1810 (Palermo). 
f Pterurus flexuosus Rafinesque, Indice, 59, 1810 (Palermo). 
Sphagebranchus oculatns Risso, Eur. Mer., ill, 196, 1826 (Mediterranean Sea). 
Habitat: Mediterranean Sea. 
Etymology: Latin, without barbel. 
Of this species we have a single large example, about 16 inches long, 
obtained at Naples by Prof. William W. Norman. 
Genus 14.— QUASSIREMUS. 
Quassiremus Jordan & Davis, gen. nov. ( evionthas ). 
Type: Ophichthus evionthas Jordan & Boll man. 
* According to the Risso, the life color is as follows: “Pink, the back with very 
small black spots, sides with curved whitish streaks, belly yellowish red.” 
