Muroena. gangetic fishes. 25 



grows to eighteen inches or two feet in length. The under 

 parts are of a white colour, and, where this unites with the 

 brown of the back, the sides are covered with dots. 



The head is narrow and long, and ends in a sharp point. 

 The mouth is very wide, and opens straight back. The jaws 

 do not protrude in opening, and are blunt and covered by 

 lips. In the fore part of each jaw are about six long sharp 

 teeth. In the sides of the upper jaw there are none ; but in 

 those of the under jaw there are many small ones. In the 

 middle of the palate there are three rows. The teeth in the 

 side rows are small and irregularly crowded ; in the middle 

 row they are placed at a distance from each other, are large, 

 compressed, and divided into lobes. The eyes are high, large, 

 and oblong, with circular pupils. The nostrils axe double, 

 the anterior apertures being tubular. The gill-covers are 

 small. The membrane which ties them down is long and 

 thick, and streaked with several fine rays, which cannot be 

 distinctly numbered, and which leave a small crescent-shaped 

 opening below each pectoral fin. 



The body is slightly compressed. The lateral line runs 

 straight and high on the side, but highest before. The vent 

 is before the middle. 



The Jin, composed of the dorsal, anal, and tail fins, extends 

 from the nape to the neck, and has about two hundred and 

 sixty rays above, and two hundred and twenty below. The 

 pectoral fins are low, small, and sharp-pointed, each contain- 

 ing twelve rays. 



5th Species. — MuRiENA raitaborua. 

 A murcena with the upper jaw longest ; with the colour 

 above purple with black dots ; and with the back, tail, and anal 

 fins distinct. 



D 



