252 
having been unfortunately destroyed by the wasting of the alcohol in 
which it was kept. 
Fam. Gadid^e. 
13. Phycis furcatus, Flem. (not Bowdich) ; Yarr. Brit. Fish, 
ed. 1. ii. 201. (Le Merlus barbu, Duham. Cuv. B. An. ed. 2. 
ii. p. 335.) 
A single example occurred May 8, 1845 ; not quite agreeing with 
the figure in the ( British Fishes,’ yet certainly distinct from the com¬ 
mon “ Abrotea” of Madeira (P. mediterraneus , Lar.), of which, on 
the other hand, the P. furcatus of Bowdich (Excurs. p. 122. f. 28) 
was unquestionably a mere accidentally fork-tailed individual. 
Fam. Echeneidje. 
14. Echeneis vittata, Suppl. to Synops. in Trans. Zool. Soc. 
vol. iii. part 1. p. 17, and Hist. Fish. Mad. p. 77. t. 11. 
The acquisition of an adult example measuring 2 feet 6|- inches in 
length, has proved the fish above described to have been a young in¬ 
dividual of E. vittata , Ruppell (Neu. Wirbel. p. 82). It is fortunate 
that the happy coincidence of name necessitates no change or con¬ 
fusion in rendering justice to my learned friend’s prior claim in the 
establishment of this well-marked species. The lateral dark band or 
vitta becomes indistinct in adult individuals. In the large full-grown 
example above mentioned it had disappeared entirely. 
Fam. Mur.enid e. 
Gen. Leptorhynchus, nob. 
Gen. Char. Caput scolopaciforme, callo elongato distinctum; 
maxillis in rostrum tenue productis , utraque dentibus minutissi- 
mis limce instar scabra ; rictupone oculos diducto. Nares oculis 
contiguce approximatce, simplices nec tentaculatce. Oculi magni. 
Corpus nudum anguilliforme compressum, gracile, elongatum; 
postice longissime attenuato-productum fliforme, apice acuto. 
Aperturse branchiales sat magnce , ante pinnas pectorales ob¬ 
lique deorsumfissce. Pinnse pectorales distinctce lanceolatce , sat 
magnce ; pinna dorsali ad nucham paullo ante, anali ad gulam 
paullo post pinnas pectorales incipiente ; utraque usque ad api- 
cem caudce continuata , membranacea , nec cute cooperta, sed ra- 
diis sat validis distmctis. 
15. Leptorhynchus Leuchtenbergi. {The Snipe-Eel.) 
I am indebted for an opportunity of describing this interesting new 
type of Murcenidce to the favour of His Imperial Highness the Due 
de Leuchtenberg, to whom an example was brought by a fisherman 
in January last. It approaches the Anguillidce by its well-developed 
pectoral fins. The prolonged beak-like muzzle also reminds one of 
that of Leptognathus, Swainson. The unique individual examined, 
which measured 2 feet 9 inches in length, scarcely half an inch in 
height, and four lines in thickness, is included in the extensive col- 
