660 PHTSOSTOMI. 



sides and beneath : the whole of the upper surface of the body, in some examples, covered with black spots and 

 blotches, some of which are continued on to the dorsal fin which has a light edging : anal with a dark marginal 

 band and a light outer edging. 



Anguilla Mcmriticma, Bennett : A. labrosa, Eichardson : Muroena maculata, Bleaker : Angmllce JoJumruB, 

 Giinther : Muroena marmorata, Eaier, are terms employed for an eel, which appears to be a variety of this fish, 

 in which the origin of the dorsal fin is only about 1/2 the length of the head before the vent. 



" It is astonishing Lacdpfede should make such a fuss about an animal which has every appearance of a 

 serpent, without the vivid colours, by which most of these reptiles are adorned. It is an irritable creature, 

 swelling its head whenever angered ; and constantly, when it can, buries itself in putrescent carcases," Ham. 

 Buch. 



Hdbitat. — Islands in the Indian Ocean, continent of India and Burma. It is common at the Andaman 

 Islands. It probably extends its range to the Malay Archipelago, Formosa and the Pacific. It attains four feet 

 and upwards in length and is much rarer on the hills than in the plains. Some have been introduced into the 

 waters on the Neilgherry hiUs in Madras. 



2. Anguilla bicolor, Plate CLXVII, fig. 3, Plate OLXVm, fig. 2. 



Muroena anguilla, Russell, Fish. Vizag. i, p. 22, t. 31. 



Anguilla Ucolor, McClelland, Cal. Joum. Nat. Hist, v, p. 178, t. 6, f. 1 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1849, 

 p. 346 ; Gunther, Catal. viii, p. 35. 



Anguilla moa, Bleeker, Java, p. 22 ; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 369. 



Anguilla bieolor and mowa, Bleeker, Muraen. pp. 16, 17 ; Kaup, Apod. pp. 51, 53, fig. 44 ; Kner, Novara 

 Fische, p. 368 ; Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 36. 



Anguilla malgwmora Celehensis, Bleekeri, Malabarica and Gantori, Kaup, Apod. pp. 42, 52, f. 30, 31, 45, 

 47 ; Kner, 1. c. p. 367. 



Muroena moa, malgvmiora and sidat, Bleeker, Atl. Ich. iv, p. 10, 11, t. 146, f. 1, t. 147, f. 3, t. 148, 

 f. 1. 



Jee-tah-dah, Andamanese. 



B. xii, D. 220-245, P. 18, A. 200-220, C. 10-12. 



Length of head 3j to 3? in the distance between the snout and the vent : length of tail 1/4 to 1/6 more 

 than that of the trunk. lEye — rather varies in size, usually about 2^ diameters in the length of the snout. 

 Head very slightly broader than the body : snout rather broad : lower jaw scarcely longer than the upper. 

 Extent of cleft of mouth equal to rather above 1/3 of the length of the head, and extending to at least 1 

 diameter of the orbit behind the eye in the adult, to below it in the immature. Lips thick. Teeth — ^bands 

 of nearly equal width, the vomerine reaching nearly as far backwards as those on the maxiUa. Fims — dorsal 

 commences above the vent or slightly before or behind it. Colours — of a dark olive superiorly, becoming 

 yellowish beneath. 



Dr. Gunther observes that Anguilla vireseene, Peters, from the West Coast of Africa is scarcely distinct 

 from A. sidat, Bleeker. 



The example figured (22 inches in length) was from the Andamans. 

 Habitat. — Coasts of India to the Andamans and the Malay Archipelago. 



Genus, 2 — Congbomuejina, Blaup. 



Gnathophis, Elaup : Ophisoma and Ariosoma, Swainson, 



Gill-opermigs wide. Eyes large. Cleft of mouth not extendmg behind the middle of the eye. Bones in 

 forepart of head with large mucous canals. Posterior nostril patent and opposite the middle of the front edge of the 

 eye : the anterior nostril tubular. Teeth small and pointed forming bands, those in the jaws not constUutmg a 

 cutting edge : vomerine band elongated and narrow. Dorsal fin commencing nearly opposite the gill-opening: the 

 pectoral and also the vertical fins (which are contin/uous round the tail) well developed. Scaleless. 



Oeographical distribuMon. — Tropical and sub-tropical seas. 



SYKOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Gongromwrcena anago — Vertical fins with a narrow dark edge. Coromandel coast of India to the 

 Malay Archipelago. 



1. Congromurjena anago, Plate CLXIX, fig. 2. 



Conger anago, Temm. and Schleg. Fauna Japon. Poiss. p. 259, pi. 113, f. 1 ; Bleeker, Japon. p. 52. 



Conger anagoides, Bleeker, Mar. p. 76 and Banda, p. 112, 



Ophisoma anagoides, Bleeker, Atl. Ich. iv. p. 27 ; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 375. 



Congromwroena anagoides, Bleeker, Atl. Ich. iv, t. 149, f. 3. 



Gongrommroena anago, Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 42. 



B. viii, P. 14, D. 170.196, A. 122-145, C. 10. 



