FISH. 143 



Conger punctus. Jen. 



C. lateribus fasciis transversisfuscescenti-rubris, interstitiis angustis griseis : rostro 

 brevi, obtuso ; maxillis subcequalibus : pinna dorsali initium supra pectoralem 

 capienti : cute corporis puncturis parvis creberrime aggregatis impressd. 



Form. — Body much compressed, except at the anterior extremity. Depth less than one-eleventh of 

 the entire length. Head contained about seven and a half times in the same. Snout short 

 and rounded. Jaws nearly equal, the upper scarcely longer than the lower. Gape scarcely 

 reaching beyond a vertical from the anterior part of the eye. Teeth velutine. A row of very 

 conspicuous pores round the edges of both jaws. The whole body, but not the head, thickly 

 studded all over with small pores, much crowded, and appearing like pin-holes. 



The pectorals are rather more than half the length of the head. The dorsal commences 

 immediately above them, and has a moderate elevation of about one-third of the depth. The 

 vent is a little posterior to the termination of the first third of the length, and the anal is 

 immediately behind it. The dorsal and anal unite to form a moderately pointed caudal. 



Length 3 inc. 3 lines. 



Colour — (In spirits.) Sides very regularly banded with fourteen or fifteen transverse reddish 

 brown fasciae : the fascia? extend on to the dorsal fin, and are much broader than the inter- 

 vening spaces. All the under part of the head, belly as far as the vent, an irregular patch on 

 the cheeks, and the spaces between the bands on the sides, yellowish. 



Habitat, Tierra del Fuego. 



This appears to be a new species. The individual described above is quite 

 small, and stated in Mr. Darwin's notes to be the young of another and larger 

 specimen which he also captured, but of which he does not mention the exact 

 size, and which unfortunately does not appear in his collection. He has, how- 

 ever, mentioned the colours, which appear similar to those given above, and are 

 as follows : — " Sides with transverse bars of chocolate and brownish-red, sepa- 

 rated by narrow grey spaces." Whether the form and proportions of the adult 

 agree exactly with those of the young as above detailed must be left for future 

 observers to determine. The colours, however, appear well to characterize the 

 species, aided by the minute punctures with which the whole body is covered. 



This species was taken by Mr. Darwin at the roots of fucus, at the east 

 entrance of Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego. The larger specimen is said to 

 have been very active. 



1. MUR^NA LENTIGINOSA. Jen. 



M. purpurascenti-fusca ; maculis circularibus, parvis, flavis : capite et rostro valde 

 compressis ; f route declivi : maxillis subelongatis, angustis, cequalibus, acutis ; 

 dentibus acutis, in maxilla superiore anticis uni- lateralibus bi-serialis ; in inferiore 



