d ifle rs from d iem e n s is a lso in w a n tin g th e p o s te r io r s c a b
ro u s p la te s o n th e p a la te , a n d in th e d iffe re n t a r r a n g e m
e n t ol th o s e o n th e to n g u e , a s m ay b e p e r c e iv e d b y c o n su
ltin g fig u re 4, p la te 2 6 , a n d fig u re 2 5 , p la te 44. F o r s te r
o b ta in e d h is fish in D u sk y B a y , New Z e a la n d , a n d as S ir
J am e s R o s s ’s s p e c im e n s w e re o b ta in e d o n th e sam e is la n d s ,
a r e to le r a b ly w e ll r e p r e s e n te d b y G e o rg e F o r s te r ’s d r aw in
g , a n d p o s s e s s th e few s p e c ia l c h a r a c te r s in c lu d e d in
J . R . F o r s te r ’s d e s c r ip tio n , I h a v e co n s id e re d th em to b e lo n g
to h is s p e c ie s . T h e y h a v e in d e e d lo s t th e ir o rig in a l tin ts
a n d m a rk in g s b y lo n g m a c e r a tio n in sp irits , so th a t we
c a n n o t a v a il o u rs e lv e s o f h is d e s c r ip tio n o f th e co lo u rs
o f th e r e c e n t fish for c om p a riso n , b u t h e m e n tio n s th e—
lin n b p s , to o th e d j aw s , m in u te te e th o n th e lo n g u e , th e
ro u g h n e s s o r v illifo n n d e n titio n o f th e p a la te , th e s tr a ig h tn
e s s o f th e b a c k , th e p ro f ile o f th e h e a d , “ c a p u t v i x de-
c l h - e f a n d th e n um b e r s o f th e fiu - r a y s , a ll o f w h ich c o r re
s p o n d to le r a b ly n e a rly , th o u g h n o t e x a c tly w ith o u r s p e c
im e n s . H e e n um e r a te s , h ow ev e r, o n ly five b r a n c h io s te g
o u s ra y s , w h e n th e r e a re in f a c t s ix , b u t th e low e s t r a y is
sm a ll, a n d w o u ld e s c a p e d e te c tio n e x c e p t o n d is s e c tio n .
T h e s p e c ie s diffe rs from M u g i l j ie r o n ii, a c iitu s a n d / e r -
r a iid i, from th e s am e q u a r te r s o f th e w o rld , in w a n tin g th e
a c u te k e e l o n th e to n g u e .
M . V a le n c ie n n e s s ta te s th e le n g th o f h e a d o f fo r s te r i a s
b e in g c o n ta in e d five tim e s a n d a h a l f in th e le n g th o f th e
b o d y , h a v in g ta k e n th e s e p ro p o r tio n s from G e o rg e F o r s te r ’s
d raw in g , b u t o n re f e ir in g to J . R . F o r s te r ’s m e a su rem e n ts ,
th e n um b e r is fo u n d to b e m o re n e a r ly fo u r lim e s a n d n in e -
te n th s , w h ic h c o r r e sp o n d s su ffic ien tly w ith th e sp e c im e n s ,
th o u g h n o t so w e ll w ith o u r fig u re , in w h ic h th e h e a d is a
trifle to o lo n g .
T h e te e lh a re a r r a n g e d in na rrow a n d fin e ly v illiform
p la te s o n b o th j aw s , a n d o n th e m a n d ib le th e r e is , in a d d
itio n , a row of sh o r t, h o r iz o n ta l o n e s , p e n e tr a tin g th e
th in lip . T h e v om e r a n d ed g e s o f th e p a la te b o n e s a re
ro u g h w ith v e ry fin e a n d s h o r t te e th , a s r e p r e s e n te d in
fig u re 2 3 , a n d th e s c a b ro u s p la te s on th e lo n g u e will b e
b e s t u n d e r s to o d b y re f e r r in g to figure 25.
T h e o u te r g ills a re fu rn ish e d w ith r a k e r s , com p o s e d o f a
s e ta c e o u s ra y a n d a th in , ta p e r in g , m em b r a n o u s b o rd e r ,
a rm e d o n its ed g e w ith a s e rie s o f h a ir - lik e t e e th , s ta n d in
g in p a ir s . T h e o th e r a r c h e s a re fu r a is h e d with s h o r te r
c om p re s s e d p ro c e s s e s , jo in e d a t th e ir b a s e s b y m em b ra n e ,
a n d h a v in g th in , o b tu s e sum m its , b r is tlin g o n a ll sid e s
w ith s e ta c e o u s te e th . T h e u p p e r p h a ry n g e a l b o n e s a re
r a th e r la rg e , c o n v e x a n d ro u g h w ith m in u te te e th . E a c h
c o n c e a ls a sm a ll c a v ity , w h ic h o p e n s in to th e fa u c e s a n d
h a s a soft, to r tu o u s roof.
T h e s c a le s a re tru n c a te d a t th e b a s e , w ith a b o u t sev en
s lig h tly d iv e rg e n t fu rrow s , fo rm in g a s m a n y m a rg in a l c r e n
a tu r e s . N o te e th a re v is ib le o n th e d is k o r free ed g e ,
b u t th e r e a re som e in e q u a litie s in th e lin e s o f s tru c tu re .
T h e b r a n c h in g f in - r a y s a re fin e ly d o tte d , a s r e p r e s e n te d
in fig u re 26. F ig u re 22 sh ow s th e p o r e s o n th e h e ad .
F o r s te r d e s c r ib e s th e co lo u rs a s a z u re -b row n o n th e
b a c k , a n d s ilv e ry w h ite e lsewhe re ; th e s e c o n d d o rs a l a n d
a n a l m a rk e d o n th e tip s b y a b row n sp o t, th e p e c to r a ls
b row n , a n d th e c a u d a l y e llow ish b row n . H e a lso inform s
u s th a t th is m u lle t is g re g a rio u s in th e m o n th o f A p ril,
e n te r s fre sh -w a te r s tr e am s , a n d m a y b e ta k e n e ith e r w ith
th e h o o k o r ne t.
L e n g th in c h e s , c a u d a l in c lu d e d . L e n g th o f h e a d
I f in c h (F o rs te r). O u r sp e c im e n s m e a su re g e n e ra lly
a b o u t 4 ^ in c h e s .
H ab. New Zealand.
M uræna.
P is c e s a n g tiillifo rm e s , sq u am is om n in o c a re n te s , cu te
læ v i m u c ig e n â t e d i .
_ C a p u t p a rv um , c u te p o ro s a il a o b d u c tum u t n e c c r a n
ium , n e c o p e rc u lum , n e c r a d ii b r a n c h io s te g i e x lu s c er-
n e n d i s int.
G u la m a g is m in u sv e e x te n s iv a p lic a la . A p e r tu r a b r a n -
c h ia lis n iin im a , la te r a lis , iu s a c c u lum b r a n c h iis p ro p r ium
a te rg o in tr a n s . S a c c u lu s h ic la te r i u tr iq u e p e r tin e u s ,
b ra n c h ia s q u e q u a tu o r in c liid e n s fo ram in ib u s q u in q u é p a r v
is ro tu n d is in tu s a p e iit. B r a u c h iæ r a s te llis ve l p ro c e s s i-
b u s d e n tife ris c a re n i.
R o s trum o b tu sum . R ic tu s o r is ra tio n e c a p itis lo n g is s i-
m u s , h o r iz o n ta lis , t e n n in a l i s ; m a x illis fe rè s em p e r æ q u a li-
b u s , r a r iu s su bæ q n a lib u s .
N a r e s a n ticæ in ro s tro e x tr em o u tr in q u e p o s itæ , íu b u -
lo sæ ; p o s ticæ s u p r a a n g u lum o c u li a n te r io r e in p a te n te s ,
sæ p iu s p la næ , inte rc lum tu b u lo sæ . O c u li su p e r m ed ium
o ris r ic tum lo c a ti. P o r i c o n sp ic iii r ic ium s u p r a su b tu s -
q u e am b ie n te s , in ro s tro summo q u o q u e d isp o siti.
O s s a Granii v a lid a , so lid a , m u ltum p e r an ch y lo s in c o a lita
. O s s a p r em a x illa r ia m a x illæ q u e d e su n í. Os n a s i
cum v om e re e tln n o id c q u e in u n um co a lilum , d en tife rum ,
m u n u s o s s ium p rem a x illa r iu r a s u s tin e n s ; o s p a la ti a n tic e
a d co lum n a ra o rb itæ a n te rio rem os s i n a s i p e r sym p h y s in
in hæ re n s , p o s tic e p e r te n d in e r a p e d ic e llo im o m a n d ib u læ
c o n n e x um ; c u ra q u e o sse n a s i r ic tm n o ris su p e rio rem c o n -
fic ien s. M a n d íb u la lo n g a , o c c ip u t p o s tic e æ q u a n s vcl
tra n s ie n s . E ju s p e d ic e llum tym p a n ic iim o s u n ic um , va-
lid um , tr ia n g u la r e in la te r e c ra n ii l a te in hæ re n s .
O p e rc u lum c ra n io in f r à rem o tum p e d ic e llo m a n d ib u læ
a d hæ re n s . R am i b r a n c h io s te g i o c to ve l d e c em filiforme s,
lo n g is s im i c ir c a o p e rc u lum c u rv a li. D e n te s in am b itu oris
e t in v om e re s e r ie b n s v a riis in s tru c t! ; a u t a c u ti, ve l sn b u -
l a ti, vel p u g io n ifo rm e s (i. e. com p re s so -su b u la ti, a c ie b u s
a c u tis ), v e l la n c e o la ti ; a u t o b tu s io re s vel c o n ic i vel grani-
forme s. O s s a p h a ry n g e a d u o su p e r io r a d u o in fe rio ra ,
lin e a ria , d e n tib u s re c u rv is a rm a ta .
V e n tr ic u lu s lo n g u s s u p e r m e d ium suum p y lo ro a rc to
p e rtu su s . I n M u ræ n a s id e r e a v a lv u lam sp ira lcm in imo
in te s tin o e la b o r a tam , in v e n i : a lte r a s s p e c ie s n o n r itè ex -
am in a v i. V e s íc u la a ë r is b re v iu s c u la , o v a lis, p o n e p a rtem
su p e rio rem v e n tric u li.
D uæ c o s ta rum s e rie s in u tro q u e la te r e u sq u e a d e x ire -
niam c au d am a ttin e n te s ; se rie s su p e r io r p a u lo p o n e c a p u t
in c ip ie n s , se rie s in fe rio r a d a n um ; am bæ v a lid io re s p o n e
a n um , d e in v e rsu s ap ic em c a u dæ sen sim decrescente.?.
H a v in g , th ro u g h th e k in d n e s s o f M r. G r a y , an o p p o r tu n
i ty o f c a re fu lly in s p e c tin g th e M itræ næ b e lo n g in g to th e
B r itis h M u s eum , I su b jo in th e r e su lts o f m y e x am in a tio n s
in p re fe re n c e to g iv in g is o la te d d e s c r ip tio n s o f th e sp e c ie s
f ig u re d in th is work, a s b e in g th e m o s t e ffe c tu a l w ay o f
showing th e r e la tio n s o f th e la t te r to th e o th e r sp e c ie s to
w hich I h a v e h a d a c c e ss. T h e n om e n c la tu r e o f th e b o n e s
o f th e sk u ll in th is g e n u s I fo u n d to b e a s u b je c t o f n o
little d ifficulty, a n d I h a v e b e e n g la d to a v a il m y s e lf o f
th a t p ro p o s e d b y P ro fe s so r O w en , in h is r e c e n t le c tu r e s on
th e V e r té b ra la . P r e v io u s to ih e ir p u b lic a tio n I h a d s u p p
o s ed th a t th e b o rd e r o f th e u p p e r jaw o f th e M u ræ noe
w as form ed o f th e p rem a x illa r ie s a n d m a x illæ a r r a n g e d
n e a rly a s in th e s a lm o n , b u t th a t th e p r em a x illa r ie s were
in tim a te ly a n c h y lo s e d with th e n a s a l a n d e thm o id b o n e s ,
forming th e jaw a n d r o o f o f th e m o u th b a c k to th e in te r io r
p illa r o f th e o rb it, w h e re th e d isk is em b r a c e d b y th e fore
p a r t o f th e vomer. T h e m a x illa ry a lso I c o n s id e r e d as
u n ite d to th e p a la te b o n e s , th e s e fo rm in g th e in te r io r
p la te s , W’h ic h a re more o iT e ss d e v e lo p e d in d iffe re n t sp e c ie s ,
a n d on ly o c c a s io n a lly d c n tig e ro u s , a n d th e n g e n e r a lly s u p p
o rtin g ta ll, su b u la te te e th , lik e th o s e o n th e m e s ia l lin e o f
th e p rem a x illa ry d isk . F in d in g o n th e s tro n g m a n d ib u la r
p e d ic le th e sm a ll s o c k e t fo r th e j o in t o f th e o p e rc u lum ,
and th e sym p le c tic k n o b fo r th e p iv o t o f tb e lo w e r jaw , I
h a d su p p o s e d th is b o n e to b e com p o s e d o f th e u n io n o f
th e seve ra l p a r ts c o n s titu tin g th e S y s tem a p te r y y o id e o
tem p o ra le o f Cuvier.
T h e v e rteb ræ n e x t th e h e a d o f th e M u ræ n oe h a v e a s h o rt,
neu ra l sp in e , a h o r iz o n ta l p a r a p o p h y s ia l p ro c e s s on e a ch
side, a n d a th in c r e s t from th e u n d e r su rfa c e o f th e c e n trum,
o p p o s e d to th e n e u r a l sp in e , a n d w h ich I m ig h t h av e
tak en for a h æ m a l sp in e b u t fo r th e a u th o r ity o f M r.
Owen, who d e n ie s t h a t p ro c e s s to th e fish. A b o u t th e te n th
v e rteb ra (in M . h e le n a , a n d n o t far from it in o th e r sp e cies)
th e m e s ia l in f e r io r c r e s t d iv id e s a n d d iv e rg e s o n th e
th re e s u c c e e d in g v e rte b ræ u n til it jo in s th e tr a n sv e rs e ,
p a rap o p h y s ia l p ro c e s s , to th e e x tr em ity o f w h ic h i t ad d s
h e ig h t b y g iv in g i t a s e c o n d a n g u la r co rn e r. As th e ve rteb
ræ a p p ro a c h th e a n u s th e a n g u la r c o rn e rs o f th e e x t r e mitie
s o f th e p a r a p o p h y s ia l p ro c e s s e s s e p a r a te m o re a n d
more from e a c h o th e r, th e u p p e r o n e rem a in in g n e a r ly
h o riz o n ta l a n d th e o th e r tu rn in g m o re a n d m o re d ire c tly
d ow nw a rd s , u n til, with its fe llow o f th e o p p o s ite s id e , it
forms a d e e p c an a l. F in a lly , a t th e e n d o f th e ab d om in a l
c av ity , a n d a c o n s id e ra b le w a y p a s t th e a n u s , th e c a n a l is
c losed b e n e a th b y th e u n io n o f its s id e s , a n d a sp in e is
a d d e d to th e a r c h o f th e hæ m a l p a s s a g e , very s im ila r to
th e n eu ra l o ne o f th e sam e v e r te b r a , so th a t th e v e rteb ræ
o f th e p o s te rio r tw o -th ird s o f th e ta il p o s s e s s a stro n g ,
com p re ssed n e u ra l sp in e , a h o r iz o n ta l p a r a p o p h y s is a n d
a hæm a l c a n a l a n d sp in e , s e em in g ly fo rm ed o f th e in fe rio r
m em b e rs o f th e p a r a p o p h y s is . Also th e r e is a rid g e a t
th e b a s e o f th e n e u r a l s p in e s , a n d a n o th e r a t th e b a s e o f
th e hæm a l o n e s , for th e a tta c hm e n t o f th e m em b ra n e s in
w hich th e in fe rio r a n d su p e rio r se rie s o f r ib s lie . T h e u p p
e r row o f r ib s ru n s from th e fifth o r s ix th v e r te b r a to th e
p o in t o f th e ta il, a n d th e u n d e r o n e from th e a n a s a lso to
th e tip o f th e ta il. E a c h r ib is fo rk ed a t th e e n d n e x t th e
c en trum , th e sh o r te r p ro c e s s lia v in g a sm a ll ro u n d h e a d ,
a n d th e b o d y o f th e r ib b e in g th ic k e s t in th e m id d le , or
sp in d le -sh a p c d . T h e s to u te s t r ib s a re s itu a te d a sh o rt
way b e h in d th e an u s .
I h e te e tli a re o f two k in d s , v iz ., s le n d e r o r c om p re s s e d ,
a n d very a cu te , b r e a k in g in th e u s in g a n d d ro p p in g o u t ;
o r c o n ic a l a n d ro u n d e d o n th e sum m its , w e av in g fla tte r.
S om e o f th e a c u te te e th a re s im p ly s u b u la te ; o th e r s a re
c om p r e s s e d - su b u la te , w ith a n a c u te , d ia p h a n o u s ed g e
b e fo re a n d b e h in d , o r th e y m ay b e te rm e d s t ile tto - s h a p e d ;
su c h a re th e f ro n t te e th g e n e ra lly . I n m o s t sp e c ie s th e
o u te r te e lh on b o th jaw s , p o s te r io r to th e f ro n t o f th e o r b
i t , a re c o n s id e ra b ly re flex , a n d h a v e a n a irow ly -la n c e o -
la te sh a p e , a lso w ith a c u te ed g e s . I n a v e ry few s p e c ie s
th e te e th a re s e r r a te d o n th e e d g e . T h e te e th s ta n d o n
th e ed g e a n d d isk o f th e n a s a l b o n e , th e p a la tin e s , m a n d
ib le s a n d vom e r, som e tim e s in a s in g le se rie s o n a ll th e s e
b o n e s , som e tim e s d o u b le on a ll, o r in d o u b le a n d s in g le
s e rie s v a rio u s ly c om b in e d o n th e s e v e ra l b o n e s .
I n th e fo llow in g ta b le th e s p e c ie s a rc a r r a n g e d in a c c
o rd a n c e w ith th e ir d en titio n .
A. T e e th a c u te , s u b u la te , s tile tto - sh a p e d . G a p e la rg e .
a. U n is e r ia l p a la t in e te e th .
1. U n is e r ia l te e th o n a ll th e d e n tife ro u s b o n e s .
b l . h e l e n a ; n u b i l a ; s a g e n e d o ta ; r e t ic u la ta ; ocella
ta ; p u n c ta ta ; s im ilis .
2. T e e th b is e iia l in th e f ro n t o f th e m a n d ib le , u n is e r ia l
o n th e sid e s o f th e m a n d ib le a n d on th e o th e r
b o n e s .
M . p r a tb e r n o n ; ten eb ro sa .
3. B isevia l te e lh in th e f ro n t o f th e m a n d ib le a n d h in d
p a r t o f th e v om e r ; u n is e r ia l te e th o n th e o th e r
b o n e s .
M . lita .
4. B is e ria l te e th on th e n a s a l b o n e , o n th e f ro n t o f th e
lo w e r jaw a n d on th e vomer.
M . sid e rea .
b . B i s e r ia l p a la t in e te e th .
1. U n is e r ia l n a s a l, m a n d ib u la r a n d v om e rin e te e lh .
M . is in g le e n a ; b u l la ta ; s l e l l i f e r ; c a n c c lla ia ; te ss
e lla ia ; c o lu b r in a ; m o r in g u a .
Obs.— W h e n th e in n e r p a la tin e te e th a re o n ly o n e o r
tw o in n um b e r th e y a rc e a s ily b ro k e n aw ay , a n d th e d e n titio
n th e n is s im ila r to th a t o f g ro u p A. 1.
2. F r o n t m a n d ib u la r te e th b is e r ia l ; v om e rin e a n d n a sa
l te e lh u n is e ria l.
M . g r is e o -b a d ia ; p a v o n in a .
3. N a s a l te e th p lu r i s e r i a l ; v om e rin e a n d m a n d ib u la r
te e th u n ise ria l.
M . g u tta ta .
4. T e e lh b is e ria l on th e f ro n t o f th e m a n d ib le a n d on
th e v om e r ; u n is e r ia l o n th e n a s a l b o n e a n d sid e s
o f th e m a n d ib le .
M . th y r so id e a ; sa th e te .
5. B is e r ia l o n a ll th e b o n e s e x c e p t th e s id e s o f th e
m an d ib le .
M . g ra c ilis ; v e rm ic u la ta ; m e le a g r is ; v ir id is .
B . G a p e m o d e ra te . T e e th co n ic a l, s u b a c u te o r ro u n d ed.—
M o l a r i i .
a. P a la tin e te e th u n is e ria l, su b a c u te .
M . o p h is ; va r ie g a ta .
b . P a la tin e te e th b is e ria l, o b tu s e .
M . p o ly zo n a ; c a le n a ta .