LYCODOIDS. 
603 
fishes (cf. above, p. 211): they seem to be especially 
closely allied to an Australian genus among the Ophi- 
dioids" that has received of Gunther 6 the name of 
Gongrogadus and resembles the Lycodoids in the form 
of the body, the form of the fins, and the absence of 
the air-bladder. 
Gilt/ was the first to give the family its present 
definition. About 20 or 30 species are recognised and 
distributed among 8 genera. 
Genus ENCHELYOPUS. 
Dorsal fin f urnished behind with a depression , the rays within which are short and, spinous. Ventral fins jugular 
and rudimentary, with 3 or 4 rays. Palatine and vomerine teeth wanting. 
The genus of the Eelpouts, known in its European 
species since the time of Schonevelde (1624), first 
excited attention on account of its reproducing itself 
by the birth of living, viable young. It is equally re- 
markable, however, for the development of spinous rays 
at so unusual a spot, corresponding to the posterior part 
of the dorsal fin in the Sea-cat (cf. above, p. 231) or 
to the upper margin of the caudal fin in other fishes, 
a spot where spinous rays also occur. 
The oldest post-Linnaean generic name, Enchely- 
opus d , was adopted by Gronovius in 1763 e from Klein, 
in whose works it contained a most heterogeneous 
medley of fishes. The name given by Gronovius was 
however forgotten, though Valenciennes gave a refe- 
rence to it/, until it was restored in 1863 by Gill 5 '. 
The genus has been best known by the name of Zo- 
arces h , which was given it in 1829 by Cuvier * 1 , or 
Zoarcceus, as Nilsson tvrote the word/ 
The genus belongs exclusively to the seas of the 
Northern Hemisphere and contains only two species, 
which are very closely related to each other, one from 
Europe and one from North America. 
THE EELPOUT (s\v. tanglaken). 
ENCHELYOPUS VIVIPARUS. 
Pi. XII, fig. l. 
Bays of the anal fin less than 100. Body slimy and covered with thin, oblong, rounded, cycloid scales, de- 
pressed in the skin. Coloration greenish yellow or yellowish brown (lighter on the belly and the under surface 
of the head) marked across the dorsal fin and the back with dark brown transverse bands, which are more or less 
distinctly branched below and meet or alternate with a row of similarly coloured spots on the lower part of the sides. 
R. hr. 6; D. (72— 80) + (6—10) + (16— 21); A. 80—88/ 
P. 19; V. 3; Vert. 108—111. 
Syn. Tertia Mustelarum species, Schonev., Ichthyol. Slesv. Hols., 
p. 49; Mustela Lumpen Antverpice dicta, Willugb., Hist. 
Pise., p. 120; Art., {Mustela), Gen. Pise., Append., p. 83; 
( Blennius ), Syn. Pise., p. 45; Gronov., J. F. ( Blennius ), 
Act. Upsal. 1742, p. 87; Lin., It. Wyoth., p. 182; Gisl., 
L c. ; Gronov., L. T., Mus. Ichthyol., p. 65. 
Blennius viviparus, Lin., Mus. Ad. Frid., p. 69, tab. 32, fig. 
3; Syst. Nat., ed. X, tom. I, p. 258; Fa. Suec., ed. II, p. 
113; Mull., Zool. Dan., tab. LVII; Retz., Fn., Suec. Lin., 
p. 325; Cuv. ( Zoarces ), L c. ; Nilss. ( Zoarcceus ), 1. c.; Ekstr., 
Vet.-Akad. Handl. 1834, p. 48; Flmng ( Gunnellus ), Brit. 
Anim., p. 207; Cuv., Val. {Zoarces), Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 
XI, p. 454; Fit., Ekstr., v. We. {Zoarcceus), Skand. Fisk., 
ed. I, p. 36, tab. 8, fig. 1; Parn. {Zoarces), Mem. Wern. 
Soc., vol. VII, p. 337; Kr., Damn. Fiske, vol. 1, p. 355; 
“ Machcerium, Richardson, Voy. Ereb., Terr., Ichthyology, p. 72, tab. 44, figs. 1 — 6. 
b Cat. Brit. Mus., Fish., vol. IV, p. 388; Intr. Stud. Fish., p. 550. 
c Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Pliilad. 1862, p. 501 and 1863, p. 254. 
d Eel-like, from I'yyfiAvg and cop. 
e Zoophyl., p. 77. As early as 1760 (Act. Helvet., IV, p. 259) Gronovius applied it to the Eelpout, but then without characterizing 
the species. 
I Cov., Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. XI, p. 452. 
9 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1863, p. 256. 
h ZcociQyfig, life-preserving. 
1 Regne Anim., 1. c. 
i Prodr. Ichth. Scctnd. (1832), p. 104. 
k Sometimes 89, according to Moreau. 
