176 Apodal Fishes of Bengal. 



small, and placed almost at the end of the muzzle; teeth 

 in broad bands; five cartilaginous branchial rays; no air- 

 vessel, nor scales. 



II. Family, Ptyobranchid^e, J. M. 



Have two external openings leading to the gills, which 

 are fan-shaped and pectinated, but almost, if not quite un- 

 supported by bony arches. About eleven slender, long bran- 

 chial rays. Fins supported by short cartilaginous rays. 



But one genus known of this family. 



1. Gen. Ptyobranchus, J. M. 



Body cylindric from the eyes almost to the caudal fin. 

 Head small and conical ; two small pectoral fins. The dorsal 

 commences farther back than the anal, both are long, narrow, 

 rounded, and connected to a very short square caudal, by 

 means of a narrow raphe sunk in the tail. 



The liver is elongated ; the stomach is a narrow blind 

 sack, with the intestine given off in front, as in An- 

 guilliformes. They have no air-vessel. 



Part 3. — Description of Species. 



ANGUILLA, Cuv. 



All the East Indian species of this genus I have seen, are 

 distinguished from those of China and of Europe by a pecu- 

 liar tessellated disposition of the scales. These are disposed 

 in zigzag lines, traversing all parts of the body. The head 

 is broader, but lower than the body. The lips thick and 

 fleshy. The jaws flat, the lower jaw is the longer and 

 broader of the two. In some, the dorsal occupies two- 

 thirds of the back, in others it is shorter. The fin rays 

 are slender, minutely articulated, and very finely branched. 



