1 60 Apodal Fishes of Bengal. 



Thus it will be seen, that the Murcenidce of Swainson not 

 only embrace both the Murcemda and Anguillidce, but se- 

 veral Ophicardious genera : for it must be observed that, 

 Pterurus and Pachyurus, Swains, are genera founded upon 

 an imperfect knowledge of two drawings of Ptyobranchus, 

 derived by Mr. Gray from the Buchanan MSS.* and errone- 

 ously named by him as two genera, Moringua and Rataboura. 



The Murcenida of Swainson thus contain some species 

 with, and some without bony arches to the gills ; some spe- 

 cies with, and some without pectoral fins; some with one, 

 and others with two branchial apertures; some having the 

 heart placed before, and some with that rather important 

 organ behind the branchial apertures. It is consequently 

 an unnatural family, composed of all varieties of form and 

 structure, brought together without due regard to character 

 and affinity. 



Of the Synbranchidce of Swainson it is necessary to ob- 

 serve, that the genus Synbranchus of Bloch, is the onry 

 one having any reference to nature. It has already been 

 shewn that the Sphagibranchi of Bloch, are an assemblage of 

 species referable to several genera, and probably to more 

 than one family. It is unnecessary to repeat what has been 

 said above of the genus Monopterus. As to Ophichthes, 

 Swainson, it is sufficient to say that it is intended for the 

 Cuchia of Buchanan, although it makes the under-jaw shor- 

 ter than the upper, the nostrils single, and the body without 

 scales — characters any one of which it does not possess. The 

 term Anguillnce occurs in the text of Mr. Swainson as in- 

 tending to imply a subdivision of Muraenidce, not to be 

 found in the Synopsis of his work. 



Vid. Asiat. Res. Bengal, vol. xix. p. 221. 



