Description of a collection of Fishes from China. 409 



There is a great sameness also in general appearance of 

 these species, the chief difference being merely in the teeth. 



One species ( M, tricuspidata ) with tricuspid vomerial 

 teeth, is common to Chusan and Ningpo in China, where it 

 was found by Dr. G. R. Play fair, as well as to Bengal, 

 where I have met with numerous specimens about Calcutta. 

 A second large species with long narrow lanceolate vomerial 

 teeth, ( M. lanceolata ) is also common about Calcutta : and 

 thirdly, M, exodon, a species which attains nearly four 

 feet in length, with a row of large lateral teeth on either side 

 of the lower jaw, is found at Arrakan ; and lastly, the Talabon 

 of Dr. Russell's Coromandel fishes, (the only species hitherto 

 described) whose vomerial teeth are serrated on the edges.* 

 I name this last, M, serradentata. 



MUR^NESOX TRICUSPIDATA. t, XXlV.Jlg. 1. 



The colour is silvery grey above, and silvery white below, 

 the edge of the dorsal and anal is variegated with a black line. 

 The eyes are situated at a distance from the snout, equal to 

 the greatest diameter or height of the body, and the mouth 

 extends more than a third beyond the eyes ; both jaws 

 are dilated at the extremity, where there are two very 

 large hooked teeth in the lower jaw, and four in a corres- 

 ponding situation at the apex of the upper jaw, in which 

 there is an irregular notch near the apex, for the reception 

 of the two long teeth of the lower jaw. The lower jaw, 

 which is shorter than the upper, also presents a double row 

 of teeth on each side, the outer of which is composed of very 



* Ophidium talabon. — Russell, No. 38, Indian Fishes. I am aware that 

 Russell's species is referred in the Regne Animal to the genus Murcsna, 

 Lacep., but while we are always bound to respect such references, we are 

 not to be implicitly guided by them ; particularly in such cases as this, 

 where we must presume that great modern ichthyologist never had an 

 opportunity of examining the species. 



3 F 



