Apodal Fishes of Bengal, 177 



Those of the caudal may be distinguished from the others 

 by their being all fixed to two bony pedicles, whereas those 

 of the dorsal and anal, have each a distinct pedicle to itself. 

 They have a long thin air-vessel, two short lobes to the 

 liver, and a stomach consisting of a capacious blind sack, 

 with the intestine joined to it in front, where there is a strong 

 valve. 



ANGUILLA BREVIROSTRIS. PL v. fig. I. 



The dorsal occupies rather more than two-thirds of the entire length. 

 The distance of the intestinal aperture from the muzzle, is equal to 

 about 4-10ths of the entire length. The fin rays are, 



P. 18 : D. 290 : A. 254 : to the middle of the caudal. 



There are three close-set rows of conical hooked teeth forming a nar- 

 row wedge-shaped band on either side of the jaws, spreading out in 

 front. The middle row consists of larger teeth than the others. There 

 is a wedge-shaped band of teeth on the vomer, the same as on the edges 

 of the jaws. 



Colour dark greenish brown above, and reddish yellow below. 



This Eel is generally found from 20 inches to 2 feet in length, and is 

 not uncommon in the Calcutta market. 



Hab. — Bengal and Arracan. 



It is probably, the species described by Dr. Buchanan as Murcena 

 anguilla, Lacep. It i3 certainly very distinct both from the common 

 European species described and figured under that name, and the Chowloo 

 Pamoo of Russell's Indian Fishes, which was also supposed to be Murcena 

 anguilla of Lacepede. Now the European species is said to have about 

 100 rays in the dorsal fin, while our Bengal species has 290. Again, 

 it is different from Russell's species, in which the dorsal commences a 

 very short distance in front of the intestinal aperture, whereas it begins 

 in the Bengal species at the anterior third of the body. 



Such mistakes on the part of Buchanan and Russell regarding the 

 common species of India, are the best proof of the necessity that existed 

 for the revision of those characters upon which the better discrimination 

 of these animals depend. 



This Eel was brought to me under the Native name 

 Bangoosh. The late Dr. Lumqua, a Chinese Physician who 

 resided many years in Calcutta, assured me that a species 



