T h o fo llow in g s p e c ie s h a v e n o t com e u n d e r m y in s p e c tio
n , a n d I h a v e n o t th e re fo r e b e e n a b le to p la c e th em in
th e a b o v e ta b le .
M u r t e n a u n ico lo r , L a ro c h e , A n n . M a s . x iii. 15. L ow ,
T r . G e o l. S o c . 2 , p . 192. M . p ic ta , T h u n b e rg , S p e c .
I c h th . 7 , t. 1, f. 2 , o r M u r a n o p h i s p a n th e r in a , L a c e p . v.
lU l . M u r c e n o p h is g r is e a , L a c e p . v. 6 4 4 , p i. 19, f.' 1.
M u r te n a s o r d id a , Cuv. R è g n e A n . 2 , p . 352. S e b a 11, 69,
4. M u r te n a re e v e sii, R ic h a rd s o n , I c h th . o f V o y . o f S u lp
h u r , p . 109, p i. 4 9 , f. 2. G ym n o lh o ra .v r o s tr a lu s , A g a s s
iz , P is e . B r a s . 5 0 , a. M u ræ n a g e om e tr ic a . R a p p e l, AU.
118, t. 3 0 , f. L M . iig r in a . Id em , t. 3 0 , f. 2. M .j l a v im a r -
g in a ia , I d em , t. 8 0 , f. 3 . M . h e p á tic a , I d em , p . 120. M .
c in e ra s c e n s , I d c in , p . 1 2 0 . M . b ilin e a ta . Id em , p . 1 2 0 .
M u ræ n o p h is lin e a ta . L e s so n , V o y . d e l a C o q u ille , t. I l , 1.
1. Id em , f. 1. J / . L ow , T r . Z o o l. Soc .
2 , p . 192. G ym n o th o r a x fa v a g in e u s , B l. S ch ii. t. 105, p.
32 3 . G . a fe r , B l. 4 1 7 , S c h n . p . 826. G. ic ilso iii, S c h n .
p . 329. G. scr/;>/«#, S c h n . p . 3 2 9 . G. b r a z ilie n s is , S c h n .
p . 329. S lr o p h id o n l ite r a tu m , J . M ’C le lla n d , C a le . J o u rn .
o f N a t. H is t. 1 844, t . vii. fig. 2 . S ir o p h id o n p u n c ta tu m ,
I d em , t. vii. f. 3 (n e c M . p u n c ta ta , B l.) . T hæ ro d o n iis
r e ti c u la ta . Id em , vii. f. 1 (n o n G ym n o th o ra .v r e tic u la tu s ,
B l. 4 1 6 , a n M . te s s e lla ta , R ic h a rd s o n ? ) G ym n om u roe n a
m a rm o r a ta , L a c e p . v. p p . 648, 650. N e tta s to m a m e la n u -
r a , R a ff. C a r a ti. ])1. 16, f. 1, o r M u ræ n a sa g a , R is s o , p rem .
e d . f. 3 9 , a n d m a n y o th e r s s c a tte r e d in d iffe re n t works.
MdR-EXA HELENA. L in n .
Murtena helena, Bl. 1. 153. L a f iu tte , E n c v d . M e th . t .2 3 , f. 79.
R .a d i i :— B . 8 ; D . 3 3 2 ; A. 2 2 0 = 5 5 2 (G ib r a lta r s p e c . ) .
P la t e X L IX ., figs. 1— 6 (A u s tra lia n sp e c .).
C o n s id e r a b le v a r ie ty e x is ts in th e sh a d e s o f c o lo u r a n d
in th e s iz e a n d d is tin c tn e s s o f th e s p o ts in d iffe re n t e x am p
le s o f th is fish from th e s am e lo c a lity , m u c h e x c e e d in g
a n y p e c u lia r ity t h a t I c o u ld d e te c t o n a c a re fu l c om p a r iso
n o f th e A u s tra lia n sp e c im e n fig u re d in p la te 49, with
s e v e ra l o th e r s from M a lta a n d G ib ra lta r .
T h e te e th a re s u b u la te , m o re o r le s s c om p re s s e d , a n d
verj- a c u te , w ith th in , c u t t in g e d g e s tow a rd s th e tip , th e
n a s a l t e e th , h ow e v e r, a n d th e a n te r io r m a n d ib u la r o n e s
b e in g c o n s id e ra b ly ro u n d e d in f ro n t low’a rd s th e b a s e .
A ll a re in c lin e d b a c kw a rd s . T h e p o s te r io r n a s a l a n d a d jo
in in g p a la tin e to o th a re th e ta lle s t o f th e s e rie s , a n d
th e s e , w ith som e o f th e n e ig h b o u r in g o n e s , a u d a lso a few
on th e low e r jaw , h a v e an a c u te n o tc h o n th e p o s te r io r
e d g e , w ith a s lig h t b a s a l lo b e b e n e a th it. N a s a l te e lh
a b o u t tw e lv e , e x c lu s iv e o f a b o u t te n ve ry s h o r t o n e s , a l te r n
a t in g w ith th em , b u t r a th e r e x te r io r to th e ir b a s e s , so
t h a t th e m a rg in a l n a s a l te e th m ay b e c o n s id e re d a s m ak in g
a n a p p ro a c h to a b is e r ia l a rra n g em e n t. T h re e te e lh on th e
m e s ia l lin e o f th e n a s a l d isk lo n g , s le n d e r a n d ve ry a c u te ,
th e p o s te r io r p a ir b e in g th e ta lle s t in th e m o u th . E ig h t
o r n in e sm a ll, a c u te , u n is e r ia l v om e rin e te e th . P a la tin e
te e th a b o u t te n , u n is e r ia l. IT ie re a re a b o u t s ix te e n o r
s e v e n te e n c o n sp ic u o u s te e th o n e a c h lim b o f th e m an d ib le ,
e x c lu s iv e o f sm a ll o n e s a t th o b a s e s o f th e f ro n t te e th
a s o n th e n a s a l b o n e .
P o s te r io r n o s tr ils sh o r tly tu b u la r . E y e m o d e ra te ly
la rg e , r a th e r p o s te r io r to th e m id d le o f th e ric tu s . T h e
u p p e r a n d lowe r jaw a re b o rd e r e d b y a row o f la rg o p o re s ,
a n d th e r e a re a lso s ix o n th e to p o f th e s n o u t, a rr a n g e d as
sh ow n in figure 2 . V e n t o n e tw e n lj'- fo u r ih p a r t o f th e
wh o le l e n g th b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e fish. D o r s a l fin
c om m e n c in g b e fo re llie g ill-o p e n in g , g ra d u a lly in c re a s in g
in h e ig h t u n til i t a tta in s i t s g r e a te s t e le v a tio n b e y o n d th e
v e n t. B o th i t a n d th e a n a l a re c o n sp ic u o u s tow a rd s th e
lip o f th e ta il, w h ic h is c o n s id e r a b ly com p re s s ed .
T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r o f th e fish is d a rk , o r b la c k is h
b row n , a n d is v a ried b y w h ite , ov a l, ro u n d is h , o r irre g u la r
m a rk s o f v a rio u s s iz e s ; la rg e r o n th e fore p a r t o f th e fish,
a n d so c row d e d o n th e h e a d a s to p ro d u c e m e re ly a b row n
a n d w h ile m o ttlin g ; b e c om in g g r a d u a lly sm a lle r a n d m ore
d is tin c t p o s te rio rly , a n d tow a rd s th e tip o f th e ta il a rra n g e d
so a s to p ro d u c e a d i s ta n t b a n d e d a p p e a r a n c e . T h e w h ite
m a rk s in c lu d e o v a l a n d ro u n d is h b la c k ish sp o ts , g e n e ra lly
d a rk e r th a n th e g ro u n d c o lo u r. T h e th ro a t a n d b e lly a re
p a le , w ith a m o re m in u te m o ttlin g , a n d th e fo ld s o f th e
th ro a t, th e c o rn e rs o f th e mo u tli a n d th e g ill-o p e n in g s a re
b la c k . S n o u t a n d lo w e r jaw le s s sp o tte d .
T h e ed g e s o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re m a rk ed b y a se rie s
o f sm a ll white d o ts , m o s t c row d ed o n th e a n a l, a n d th e
b a s e s o f th e s e fin s a re sp o tte d o n e a c h s id e b y a le s s d e n s e
s e rie s (vide fig. 5 , g iv in g a f ro n t view o f p a r t o f th e ana l).
T h e co lo u rs a n d sp o ts o f th e A u s tr a lia n sp e c im e n d e s
c rib e d ab o v e , a re e x trem e ly s im ila r to th o s e o f o ne o b ta
in e d a t G ib r a lta r . H a v in g h a d th e sk e le to n o f th is la tte r
o n e m a d e , I a s c e rta in e d , b y r e p e a le d a n d c a re fu l en um e r
a tio n , th a t th e ra y s o f th e d o rs a l were 3 3 2 , a n d o f th e
a n a l 2 2 0 , o r 5 5 2 in a ll. T h e r a y s a p p e a r s im p le , a n d a re
w ith o u t p e r c e p tib le jo in t s , b u t m o s t o f th em c an b e sp lit
a t th e tip s in to two b r a n c h lc ts . T h e r e a re 1 4 2 v e rte b ræ ,
71 o f w h ich a re a b d om in a l, b u t th e a n a l fin e x te n d s fo r w
a rd s to th e s ix ty - th ird . T h e a ir -b la d d e r is ova l, a n d
a b o u t I j - in c h in le n g th .
A s e c o n d G ib r a lta r sp e c im e n d iffe rs s lig h tly in th e p a le
p a r ts , h a v in g a d ilu te o ra n g e t in t, a n d in th e m o ttlin g o f
th e b e lly b e in g m o re r e so lv a b le in to sp o ts , lik e th o s e on
th e sides.
T h e B r itis h M u s e um p o s s e s s e s a v a rie ty from th e B a y
o f N a p le s , in wh ich th e p a le c o lo u r is r e d u c e d to ro u n d ish
a n d a n g u la r w h ite sp e c k s , a b o u t th e s iz e o f a p in ’s h e a d ,
p la c e d a t th e c o rn e r s o f th e b la c k sp o ts , a n d a l firs t s ig h t
th e fish a p p e a r s to b e d a rk liv e r-b row n , sp e c k le d w ith
w h ite , b u t o n a c lo s e r e x am in a tio n th e figure s o f th e d a rk
sp o ts m ay b e tr a c e d . T ow a rd s th e e n d o f th e ta il th e
w h itish d o ts a re a rr a n g e d iu v e rtic a l b a r s , five o r s ix in
e a ch b a r . T h e w h ite sp e c k s o n th e ed g e s o f th e fin s a re
m o re rem o te th a n in th e m o re com m o n v a rie ty.
An e x am p le from M a lta , in th e H a s la r M u s e um , h a s
few e r a n d sm a lle r w h ite dots.
indies- indies.
L e n g th o f two A u s tr a lia n e x am p le s 2 5 G ib r a lta r do. 3 0 -0
D is ta n c e b e tw e en sn o u t a n d a n u s 1 2 14T
„ „ g ill-o p e n in g 2 ’86 8-6
H a b . M e d ite rra n e a n . E n g lis h C h a n n e l. N o r th A fric
an coa.st. In d ia n O c e an (B lo ch ). A u s tra lia n seas.
M u r æ n a n u b il a . R ic h a rd so n .
P la t e X L V I ., fig. 6— 10.
T e e lh u n is e ria l, c om p re s s e d -su b u la te , ta p e r in g a n d v e ry
a c u te , (o r s tile tto - sh a p e d ) . N a s a l te e th twelve, w id e ly se t
a u d m o d e ra te ly ta ll, w ith a m in u te su b u la te o n e b e tw e e n
e a ch p a ir. Two te e th p la c e d well forw’a rd on th e m e sia l
lin e o f th e d isk , th e s e c o n d o n e b e in g th e ta lle s t in th e
m outh. T w e lv e c o n ic o -su b iila le , sh a rp -p o in te d , ve ry sh o rt
vomerine t e e th , th e a n te r io r o ne s ta n d in g a little o u t o f
line. P a la tin e te e lh twelve, s lig h tly re fle x , th e tw o a n te rio
r one s sm a lle r th a n th e re s t, wliich d im in ish s lig h tly in
size from th e th ird to th e co rn e r o f th e m o u th . M a n d ib le
armed b y fifte en o r s ix te e n te e lh o n e a c h lim b , th e a n te rio
r one s ta lle r, m o re rem o te , a n d h a v in g o n e o r two m in
u te , s u b u la te o n e s in th e ir in te rv a ls .
T h e h e a d o f ib is sp e c ie s is co n s id e ra b ly c om p re s s e d ,
th e jaw s e q u a l, a n d th e sn o u t o b tu s e , w ith a s lo p in g p ro file ,
concave a t th e ey e . T h e fo ld o f sk in which e n v e lo p e s th e
dorsa l is le s s th ic k th a n in m a n y sp e c ie s , a n d ris e s s u d d
enly, with little s lo p e , a b o u t h a lf-w a y b e tw e en th e eye
an d g ill-o p e n in g . T h e fin c o n tin u e s h ig h a n d ve ry c o n sp
icu o u s th ro u g h o u t th e b a c k to n e a r th e e n d o f th e ta il,
w h e re i t n a rrow s a little . T h e p o s te r io r n o s tr ils a re n o t
tu b u la r, tlie ey e is ra th e r la rg e , th e g a p e a lso la rg e , a n d
th e d is ta n c e from th e tip o f th e sn o u t to th e g ill-o p e n in g
is a b o u t o n e - e ig h th o f th e whole le n g th o f th e fisb , w hile
th e a ims is a fo u rte e n th o f th a t le n g th be fore th e m id d le o f
th e fish. T h e u su a l p o r e s e x is t o n th e s n o u t a n d u p p e r
and lowe r lip s , a n d th e la te r a l lin e c o n s is tin g o f a se rie s
o f small p o re s is suffic ien tly ev id en t. T lire e b la c k ta p e r in g
stre ak s a re c o n sp ic u o u s on th e th ro a t, th e iip p e n n o s t r u n nin
g b a c k from th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . T h e b o d y is
ma rked b y c lo u d -lik e sp o ts , fo rm in g a s e rie s o f irre g u la r,
and in som e p la c e s , c o n flu e n t b a rs . T h e sp o ts com m en c e
ou th e low e r p a r t o f th e d o rs a l, a n d d e s c e n d ov e r tw o-
lh ird s o f th e h e ig h t. T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r is brow n ish on
th e b a ck a n d p a le o r w h itish on th e b e lly . T h e d o rsa l
and ana l a re b o rd e r e d b y a w e ll-d e fin ed , d e e p b la c k s trip e ,
wh ich is ve ry n a rrow ly e d g e d e x te r io r ly w ith w h ite .
C æ c a l s tom a c h n o t r e a c h in g down to th e a n u s . P y lo ric
orifice n e a r e r to th e g u lle t th a n to th o p o in t o f th e sa c .
L ive r p la c e d b e n e a th ancl r a th e r to th e rig h t o f th e slo-
iiiacli. An o b lo n g oval a ir -b la d d e r lie s b e h in d th e oeso-
])hagus. T h e sp ira l valve o f th e low e r in te s tin e w a s n o t
made o u t, ow in g to th e s ta te o f th e p a rts .
L en g tli o f th e sp e c im en 2 L 5 in c h e s . D is ta n c e b e tw e e n
lip o f th e sn o u t a n d th e a n u s 10 in c h e s . D is ta n c e from
d itto to th e g ill-o p e n in g 2 6 .
T h is fish was o b ta in e d a l N o rfo lk Is la n d , b y D r. M ’
W illiam , o f tb e R o y a l N a v y , S u rg eo n to th e B o a rd o f
Custom s. A d r ie d sk in o f a m u rre y , b e lo n g in g to th e B r itish
M u s eum , w h ic h was p ro c u r e d b y M r. G ilb e r t a t
H o u tm a n ’s A b ro lh o s is p ro b a b ly th e same sp e c ie s , which
in th a t c a se in h a b its b o tli c o a s ts o f A u s tra lia . T h e sm a ll
m le n n e d ia le te e th am o n g tlie in te rm a x illa r ie s do n o t e x is t
in th is la tte r ex am p le , a n d th e la rg e r o n e s h a v e ro u n d e d ,
c om p re s s e d , p o.slerior b a s a l lo b e s n o t o b s e rv a b le in th e
N o rfo lk I.slaiid sp e c im en , b e in g , p e rh a p s , c o n c e a le d b y th e
so ft p a r ts , b u t th e re is n o o th e r rem a rk a b le d ifl'erence in
d e n titio n . T h e a n a l h a s a w h itish ed g e s u rm o u n tin g a
b la c k s trip e , a n d th e re a re sp o ts on th e s id e s , b u t muc li
d e fa c ed b y th e d ry in g o f th e sp e c im e n . I t m e a su re s
tw e n ty -tw o in c h e s in le n g th .
A th ird sp e c im en , lik e th e la s t, a d rie d o n e , a n d a lso e x i
s tin g in th e B ritish M u s eum , was p r e p a r e d b y Dr. J a n y ic r
a t th e M a u ritiu s . I t h a s th e sam e d en titio n with th e N o r folk
I s la n d fi.sh, e x c e p t th a t a th i r d ta ll to o th i.s p r e s e n t
on th e m e s ia l lin e o f th e n a s a l d isk , a n d from th e s p e c im
en b e in g d r ie d th e a lle rn a lo a r r a n g em e n t o f th e v om e rin e
te e th is p e r c e p tib le , th o u g h th e y a p p e a r o n a cu rso ry
e x am in a tio n to b e in o n e se rie s. S om e o f th e sp o ts or
b a r s d e s c e n d ov e r th e b e lly , a n d th e r e a re tr a c e s of s ix o r
sev en b la c k s tr e a k s on e a c h s id e o f th e th ro a t. L e n g th
44-3 in c h e s . T o a n u s 23. T o g ill-o p e n in g 6 '4 .
H a b . S e a s o f A u s tr a lia a n d o f th e M a u ritiu s .
M o r ® na sa g e n o u e t .a. R ic h a rd so n .
T h e o n ly e x am p le o f th is sp e c ie s which we h a v e se e n is
a d rie d o n e in th e B r itis h M u s eum , w h ic h w a s p r e p a r e d
b y D r. J a n v ie r a t th e M a u ritiu s .
’ T h e r e is c o n s id e r a b le r e s em b la n c e b e iw e e n i t a n d -M.
n u b ila , b u t i t a p p e a r s to h a v e a th ic k e r b o d y , p a r tic u la r ly
a b o u t th e th ro a t, w h ile th e v e n t is a l ittle fa r th e r fo rw a rd .
T h e u n is e ria l le e lh a re com p a ra tiv e ly s to u te r , w ith le s s
a c u te ed g e s , a n d s ta n d in a c lo s e r se rie s b o th a n te r io r ly
a n d p o s te r io r ly . T h e h ig h e s t o n th e ed g e o f th e u p p e r
jaw a re th e p o s te r io r n a s a l o n e s a n d a d jo in in g p a la tin e s ,
w h e n c e th e y d e c re a s e g rad u a lly in b o th d ir e c tio n s . M a n y
o f th em h av e a m in u te n o tc h n e a r th e m id d le o f th e a u le -
r io r ed g e , a n d m o s t h av e a co n sp ic u o u s p o s te r io r b a s a l
lo b e . T h e r e a re a b o u t n in e te e n b e tw e e n th e sym p h y s is
a n d c o rn e r o f th e m o u th on th e u jip e r jaw a n d a c o r r e s
p o n d in g n um b e r b e low , th e re b e in g n o sm a ll in te rm e d ia
te o n e s on th e fore p a r t o f e ith e r jaw . T h e m e s ia l te e lh
on tb e n a s a l d isk a re e n tir e ly a b s e n t in th e sp e c im e n , a n d
th e d isk its e lf is r a th e r lo n g a n d co n c av e , w ith o u t a n y p its .
T h e v om e rin e te e th a re m in u te , a n d d o n o t e x c e e d th re e
in n um b e r.
Ifo s ie rio r n o s tr ils n o t tu b u la r . E y e m o d e ra te -s iz e d ,
a n d r a th e r b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e g ap e o f th e m o u th .
D o r s a l c om m e n c in g a b o u t h a lf-w ay be iw e en th e c o rn e r o f
th e m o u th a n d th e g ill-o p e n in g . A n u s a s n e a rly a s p o s s
ib le in th e m id d le o f th e fish. D is ta n c e b e iw e e n th e Up
o f th e sn o u t a n d th e g ill-o p e n in g n e a rly o n e - s e v e n th o f
th e to ta l len g th .
G ro u n d c o lo u r o f th e d r ie d s k in b row n ish , v a rie d b y th irty -
two o r th ir ty - fo u r ir re g u la r, b la c k is h v e rtic a l b a r s , w h ich
d e s c e n d from th e d o rs a l fin a n d b r a n c h a n d an a s tom o s e
a b o u t th e g ill-o p en in g , so a s to p ro d u c e five o r s ix m e sh e s
ill th e h e ig h t, th e b a r - lik e a r r a n g em e n t n o t b e in g p e r c e p tib
le th e r e ; m o re p o s te r io r lv th e m e sh e s a re la rg e r , a n d
n o t a b o v e th re e o r four in ’th e h e ig h t ; a t th e am is th e y
in c re a s e in s iz e a n d d im in ish to two in th e h e ig h t, w h ile to w
a rd s th e e n d o f th e ta il th e m e sh e s a re w h o lly s u p e r s e d e d