268 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



about half the depth of the gill-lamina below it. The other 

 arches have short gill-rakers on the outer sides only. The first 

 and second arches show some small papillae-like excrescences on 

 their inner sides. The upper and lower pharyngeal teeth are 

 very minute and cardiform. There is a small set on the heads 

 of the third and fourth epibranchials, and on the lower pharyn- 

 geal bones they require to be looked at with a microscope to be 

 fully realized. A row of teeth runs along the tongue to the 

 opening of the second gill-slit. 



SYMBRANCHID2E. 



Amphipnous cuchia, an eel-like Indian fish, furnished with 

 an air sac on each side of its neck, enabling it to breathe atmo- 

 spheric air directly and so live comfortably out of water for 

 some time. Has only three branchial arches and no gill-rakers. 

 The upper pharyngeal teeth are in a circular group on the head 

 of the third epibranchial arch. They are so much embedded in 

 mucous membrane as not to be easily seen, but are quite 

 palpable to the touch if a finger-tip is pressed against them. In 

 a similar way cognizance can be taken of the existence of lower 



pharyngeal teeth. 



Apodes. 



AnguiUa vulgaris (the Common Eel) has no gill-rakers. 

 The upper pharyngeal teeth are represented on each side by an 

 oval patch on the head of the fourth epibranchial of minute 

 cardiform teeth. Two long narrow slips of similar teeth form 

 the lower pharyngeal teeth. 



Conger vulgaris (the Conger Eel) has no gill-rakers. 

 The upper pharyngeal teeth are in a triangular group on the 

 heads of the third and fourth epibranchials, and are cardiform 

 teeth ; the group is broad at the base, narrow at the top. 

 The lower pharyngeal teeth are similar, but set in two elon- 

 gated plates. 



Myras vulgaris, from the Mediterranean, has cardiform teeth 

 for the upper and lower pharyngeal teeth. The lower on two 

 long broad plates, and the upper in fair-sized groups. Fig. II., 2. 



Murcencsox talabon (the " Koolarie " of the Tamil fishermen 

 of Madras) has no gill-rakers. Tbe upper pharyngeal teeth in 

 two long narrow plates, 1*1 in. by 'S in. of small cardiform 



