131 
OPHIDIUM. 
The body lengthened, compressed; vent far behind._ Gill openings 
wide. Dorsal and anal fins forming one with the tail; a bifurcated 
pair of tendrils hanging from the throat. Supposing these tendrils to 
be fins, Linnseus placed these fishes in his jugular order. 
BEARDED OPHIDIUM. 
ophidian rmdeleiius, 
Ophidium larbatum, 
Ophidie barbu, 
Ophidmm bwrbatum, 
n <« 
Willoughby; p. 112, pi. 97. 
LinkjEUs. Cuviek. 
Lacepede. .Risso. 
Bloch; pi. 1S9. Yaurell; British 
Fishes, vol. ii, p. 41 5. 
Gunther; Catalogue British Museum, 
vol. iv, p. 377. 
This fish is inserted in the British Catalogue on the remote 
and doubtful authority of former writers, none of whom profess 
to have seen a native example, or point out a place or time in 
which it has been obtained. Our figure, slightly tinted, is 
derived from Rondeletius, who knew the species well, as being 
frequently caught in the Mediterranean; and a description is 
added, by which it may be recognized if ever it should chance 
to fall into the hands of an observer. We also add a notice of 
a kindred species which has only been recognized of late as 
being distinct; but which is enumerated in the Catalogue of 
the British Museum, where the example is preserved, as having 
been found by Dr. Leach at Padstow, on the north coast of 
Cornwall. Our knowdedge of this last-mentioned fish is derived 
from Dr. Gunther, whose account of it therefore, under the 
name of Ophidium broussonetii, wc copy; and as these fishes 
are described as in their form, and in the number of the rays 
of their fins, closely resembling each other, the plate we give 
of the one, coupled with a notice of their differences, will be 
sufficient for every practical purpose. 
