408 Description of a collection of Fishes from China 



The interval from the branchial aperture to the anus, is 

 equal to half the distance from the anus to the end of the 

 caudal, and to the whole distance from the extremity of 

 the snout to the commencement of the dorsal. 



Both of the jaws, the palate, and the vomer are densely, 

 and uniformly covered with small, but strong conical teeth. 

 The eyes are placed over the corners of the mouth, and their 

 distance from the extremity of the snout is equal to twice the 

 breadth of the latter ; the nostrils open at each corner of the 

 upper lip, by two short tubes. The colour above seems to have 

 been olive green, minutely dotted ; the whole of the lower 

 surface of the body from the jaws to the tail is whitish. The 

 fins at the extremity of the tail are variegated with black. 



Habitat. — Chusan. 



Fam. Anguilliformes, Cuv. 

 MuRCENESox.* Nov. Gen. 

 Gen. Char. — Jaws very long, narrow, and dilated at the 

 apex for the insertion of prominent teeth in that situation. 

 A row of very prominent compressed teeth on the vomer, 

 branchial apertures small, situated low" in front of the pectorals, 

 and lead to four large branchial combs on either side. 



The rays in the branchial membrane are numerous, long, 

 and slender. 



Obs» — The stomach and intestine, together form a capaci- 

 ous but short straight tube without cecae ; the air-vessel is 

 long and spindle-shaped. Several species of this genus are 

 met with in the East. The dorsal commences in front of the 

 pectorals, and there is a diiFuse dark spot on the upper 

 part of the gill covers; their colour above is bluish grey, 

 silvery white below, with a black edging to the dorsal and 

 anal fins. Their resemblance to the sand eels of Europe, 

 has procured for them the common name of silver eel. 



* Etym. From Murcena, and Esox, the generic names of the Eels and 

 Pikes, of both which the proposed genus partakes in form. 



