v o y ag e , a s liis a iilh o v ity , b u t o n lu ru in g to th a t w o rk 1
find o n ly th e fo llow in g s e n t e n c e : “ A m o n g s t th e s e were
som e la rg e e e ls, b e a u tifu lly s p o tte d , w h ic h , w h e n fo llow ed ,
w o u ld r a is e tlie in se lv e s o u t o f th e w a te r, a n d e n d e a v o u r
witli ail o p e n m o u th , to b ite ih e ir p u r s u e r s .” (Voy. to
Hacif. b y C a p t. C o o k , C le rk e a n d G o re , 17 7 6 -8 0 , vol i u
•210. L o n d . 1784). '
M u r .e n a p r a t b e r n o n , Q u o y e t G a im a rd .
^ -UHCiPHa pratbernon, Quoy et Gaimarrl, Voy. de Freycinet, P). 52,
F o u r te e n m a rg in a l n a s a l te e lh o f a s to u tly s u b u la te form,
w ith m u c h sm a lle r o n e s n o t fo n n in g a re g u la r e x te r io r s e rie
s , b u t m o s tly s ta n d in g in th e in le n -a ls o f th e ta lle r one s.
Tw o s tro n g , s to u tly s u b u la te m e s ia l te e lh in th e fore p a r t
o l th e d isk ; followed a t a n in te rv a l b y th r e e sm a ll, com p
re s s e d , a n d n o t ve ry p u n g e n t v om e rin e te e th in o n e row.
P a la tin e te e th u n is e r ia l, n in e te e n o r tw e n ty o n e a ch s id e ,
l a n c e o la te , re fle x , a n d m o d e ra te ly a c u te . M a n d ib u la r
te e th a t th e e n d o f th e j aw , a b o u t s ix o n e a ch s id e , s im il
a r to th e p r in c ip a l n a s a l o n e s , w ith m u c h sm a lle r te e th o f
s e v e ra l s iz e s e x te r io r to th e i r b a s e s , in tw o o r th re e row s,
b e in g n in e o r te n in n um b e r o n e a c h lim b . T h e la te ra l
m a n d ib u la r te e lh a re lik e th e p a la tin e one s.
b n o u t o b tu s e . E y e r a th e r sm a ll, a n d s itu a te d som ew h a t
b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e g a p e . P o s te r io r n o s tr ils n o t tu b
u la r . T h e o r ig in o f th e d o r s a l, some o f w h o se ra y s a re
a n in c h - a n d - a -h a lf lo n g , c a n n o t b e a s c e r ta in e d , ow in g to
th e s ta te o f th e sp e c im e n . G ro u n d c o lo u r o f th e sk in p u r p
lis h b row n , w ith n um e ro u s ro u n d , b la c k d o ts , th e s iz e o f
a sm a ll p e a o n th e u p p e r p a r t o f th e h e a d . R o u n d th e
g ill-o p e n in g th e sp o ts a s sum e v a rio u s fo rm s from th e c o n f
lu en c e o f tw o , th r e e , o r more . F a r th e r b a c k th e d a rk
m a rk s h a v e th e s h a p e o f im p e r fe c t r in g s o r s ta rs , a n d to w
a rd s th e ta il th e s iz e o f th e com p o u n d sp o ts in c re a s e s .
I n th e m id d le o f th e ta il th e y h a v e c o n s id e ra b le re s em b
la n c e to lh e s p o ts o f M . h e le n a , th e p u rp lish g ro u n d c o lo
u r fo rm in g a m e sh work ro u n d th e s p o ts , a n d p e rfo ra tin g
th e i r d isk s . T h e u n d e r ja w a n d fore p a r t o f th e b e lly h a v e
th e g ro u n d c o lo u r v a r ie d b y o n ly a few fa in t, sm a ll sp o ts.
T h e r e is , h ow e v e r, n o w h ite on th e fish, n o r a n y p a le
sp o ts o n th e ed g e s o f th e fin s , su c h a s e x is t iu M . h e len a ,
to w h ic h th e s p e c ie s n e a r ly a p p ro a c h e s in m a n y re sp e c ts .
A la rg e b la c k r in g su r ro u n d s th e g ill-o p e n in g , a n d th e
c o in e r s o f th e m o u th a re a lso b la c k , th e p a la te a u d g u lle t
b e in g d a rk b ro iv n . T h e sp e c im e n in th e B r itis h M u s eum
m e a su r e s 74 in c h e s , b u t i t h a s b e e n s k in n e d in su c h a
w ay th a t th e e x a c t p o s itio n o f th e v e n t c a n n o t b e a s c e r ta
in e d . T h e follow io g m e a su rem e n ts o f a r e c e n t e x am p le
w e r e ta k e n b y J . B . J u k e s , E s q . “ L e n g th 5 7 in c h e s .
F rom th e sn o u t to th e am is 30 in c h e s . F rom a n u s to tip
o f ta il 2 8 in c h e s . G ir th a t th e g ill-o p e n in g 13 in c h e s .
G ir th o f th e b o d y w h e re th ic k e s t 17 in c h e s . G ir th a t
th e v e n t 1 3 ^ in c h e s .
I I a b . D a rn le y I s la n d (Ju k e s ). (Quoy e t G a im a rd ).
M u ra jn a t e n e b r o s a , S o la n d e r.
Murana tenebrosa, Buiiks et Solander, MSS.
T h e B r itis h M u s e um p o s s e s s e s a s p e c im e n o f th is fish
p re s e rv e d in sp ir its , wh ich w a s o b ta in e d from th e Colle iie
of b u rg e o n s , a n d was m o s t p ro b a b ly th e in d iv id u a l tak en
o n C o o k s h r s t v o y ag e , a t th e S o c ie ty Is la n d s . T h e n a tiv
e n am e is w ritten “ E p n i ," o r “ E b u i ”
N a s a l te e th p r e tty ta ll, r a th e r w ide ly s e t, s u b u la te , a n d
v e iy a c u te ,_ in o n e s e rie s fo rm in g a s em ic irc le ro u n d th e
e n d o f tlie jaw, th e f ro n t te e th b e in g th e lowe st. T h r e e
ta ll su b u la te a n d s lig h tly re cu rv ed m e s ia l te e th on th e
d isk , h o ) owed a fte r a n in te rv a l b y n in e sh o rt, a c u te vom
e rin e te e tli, d isp o s e d in o ne s lig h tly ir r e g u la r row. P a la
tin e te e lh 17, u n is e ria l, ta p e rin g , a n d v e ry a c u te • th e
four a n te r io r o n e s sh o rte s t, th e m id d le o f th e se rie s ta lle s t
u n d al s lig h tly re flex . E a c h lim b o f th e m a n d ib le is
a rm e d b y s ix te e n o r e ig h te e n te e th , r e s em b lin g th e p a l a tin
e o n e s , witli th re e ta l l s u b u la te in te r io r o n e s a t th e fore
e n d , m a k in g th e re two rows.
T h is is a s le n d e r, c o n s id e ra b ly c om p re s s e d M u ra n ta
h a s p lm n p o s le n o r n o s tr ils , th e d o rs a l com m e n c in g well
forwa rd on th e n a p e b e fo re th e g ill-o p e n in g s , a n d th e an u s
s itu a te d a b o u t o n e tw en ty -s ix th p a r t th e whole le in rih
b e fo re th e nncldle o f th e fish. T h e ta il is a c u te T h e
co lo u rs h a v e to ta lly fad ed . S o la n d e r ’s s h o r t d e s c rip tio n
wh ich m e n tio n s th em is a s fo llow s:—
“ h is ca s ta n e a . P u p il la n ig r a , u nm ilo luteo. P o r i
c a p itis concolores c um corpore. T o ta e so rd id e p u r p u r e o
J u s c a ,J a s c i i s m a c u lisq u e tra n s v e r sa lib u s , la lis , n um e ro s is
m g r ic n n tib u s - , tarn o b scu ru s e s t p r ic is u t p r im o i n t u i t ,1
VIX in t e r colorem co rp o ris e t fa s c ia s d i f fe r e n t ia v id e tu r .
D e n te s in. m a x i l l i s e i f a u c e u t i in a n te c e d e n le (M . a lo -
m ^ i a ; . N u l lu m a u tem la b ia f a u c i s v id e r e lic u it."—
o o la n d e r , I. c.
^ ^ L e n g th 1 3 '5 in c lie s . T o a im s 6 22. T o g ill.o p en iiig
H a b . P o ly n e s ia .
M u ie e n a l it a , R ic h a rd so n .
N a s a l m a rg in a l te e th fo u rte en , in c r e a s in g g rad u a lly in
h e ig h t a s th e y r e c e d e from th e sym p h y s is . A s in g le me-
sia l to o th o n ly is le ft o n th e d isk , w h ich lia s p e rh a p s
re c e iv ed in ju ry , a n d a s e c o n d m a rg in a l row' m av h a v e o r ig
in a lly e x is te d to c o r r e sp o n d with th e d o u b le ’row a t th e
e n d o f th e m a n d ib le . V om e rin e te e th s h o r t a n d r a lh e r
o b tu s e , d isp o s e d in a s in g le row a n te rio rly , b u t th e two
la s t p a ir s a re in tw o u n e v e n rows. P a la tin e te e th eleven,
u n is e ria l, com p re s s ed , s u b u la te , very a c u te , a n d m o d e ra te ly
re flex , d im in ish in g g ra d u a lly from th e s e c o n d , w liich is
th e ta lle s t, to th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . M a n d ib u la r
te e th p a r tia lly b is e n a l. T h e r e a re fou rte en o n e a c h lim b
c om p re s s e d , su b u la te a n d a c u te , ta lle s t a n d m ore widely-
s e t n e a r th e sym p h y s is , a n d d e c re a s in g g r a d u a lly a s th e y
a p p ro a c h th e co rn e r o f th e m o u th . At th e fore e n d o f th e
jaw th e r e is a n e x te r io r row o f s ix sh o rt, ra th e r c lo se ly se t,
more o b tu s e c u llin g te e lh .
P o s te rio r n o s tr ils ve ry c lo s e to th e e y e , n o t tu b u la r.
D o rs a l com m e n c in g a v e ry little b e fo re th e g ill-o p en in g .
Anus r a th e r b e h in d th e m id d le o f th e fish.
Co lo u r g e n e ra lly a d a rk , din g y b row n , b u t wh en c lo s e ly
ex am in e d th e p r e v a ilin g h u e is fo u n d to b e p ro d u c e d b y
ro u n d ish , liv e r-b row n sp e c k s , o f th e s iz e o f a p in ’s h e a d ,
c row d ed so d e n s e ly tow a rd s th e b a c k a s a lm o s t to e x c lu d e
th e p a le g ro u n d t in t, b u t w h ich s e p a r a te on th e s id e s , so
th a t th e g ro u n d c o lo u r Ibrms r e tic u la r lin e s. O n llie b e lly
th e sp o ts a re c om p a ra tiv e ly w'idely s e t, a n d m u ch o f th e
gro u n d t in t a p p e a r s . A n o b s c u re re tic u la tio n o n a la rg e r
sc a le c a n a lso b e m ad e o u t, d iv id in g th e s id e o f th e fish
in to a b o u t fo u r rows o f sp o ts a s b ig a s a p is to l b u lle t, s e t
a lte rn a te ly . O n th e h e a d a n d th ro a t a re m a n y sm a ll,
b row n s p o ts , o c c u p y in g le s s sp a c e th a n th e p a le o ra n g e -
tin te d g ro u n d c o lo u r. F in s a l ittle w h itish on th e ed g e s.
L e n g ih 18-5 in c h e s . T o a n u s 9 ‘6. T o g ilL o p c n in g 2 ‘6
in ch e s . F rom a n u s to lip o f ta il 8 ’9 in c h e s .
H a b . T h e M o lu c c a s . (S p e c , in th e B r itis h M u s eum ,
re c e iv ed from B e r lin , la b e lle d M . ra r ieg n la ).
M u r æ n a s id e r e a . R ic h a rd s o n .
R a d i i B r. 8 ; D . 3 0 6 ; A. 192 = 498.
P la te X L V I IL , fig. 1 ^ 5 .
P r in c ip a l se rie s o f n a s a l le e lh a b o u t twelve in n um b e r,
c om p re s s e d -su b u la te , with a c u te e d g e s , o r nan-owly la n ceola
te , a n d m o d e ra te ly ta ll, witli a n e q u a l n um b e r o f
sh o rt, c o n ic o - su b u la le , b lu n tis h , aiiguilar, o r furrowed te e th ,
ra n g e d c lo se to th e ir b a s e s e x te r io r ly , m o s t c row ded a t
th e sym p h y s is , w iie re th e y form tw o row s, o r th r e e in all.
On th e m e s ia l lin e o n e s to u t, c o n ic o -s iib u la tc tooUi is
p la c e d we ll fo rw a rd , th e two m o re p o s te r io r one s u su a lly
seen in th e Murcence, b e in g e ith e r w a n tin g in th is sp e c ie s ,
or more lik e ly b ro k e n o if in th e th r e e sp e c im e n s th a t we
have e x am in e d . T h e v om e rin e te e th a re in two rows, th e
rows c om m e n c in g o n th e a n te r io r c o rn e r o f th e b o iie on
e a ch s id e o f th e n a s a l d isk , a n d g ra d u a lly a p p ro a c h in g
e a ch o th e r, so a s to co a le s c e in th e b a c k p a r t o f th e m o u tb .
T h is d isp o s itio n o f th e te e th is n o t ve ry h a p p ily r e p r e s e n ted
in p la te 48. T h e s e te e th a re ve ry sm a ll a n d sh o rt,
with a c u te ly c om p re s s e d , b u t n o t p o in te d tips.
P a la tin e te e th e ig h t, u n is e r ia l, c lo se s e t, re flex , n a r rowly
la n c e o la te , a n d d im in ish in g in s iz e a s th e y a p p
ro a ch th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . E a c h lim b o f th e
m an d ib le is a rm e d from tb e sym p h y s is to th e c o rn e r o f
th e m o u th with a s e rie s o f fo u rte en o r fifteen n a rrow ly la n c
eo la te , ve ry a c u te , a n d m o d e ra te ly re flex te e th ; a n d a t
th e e n d o f th e j aw tlie re is a n e x te r io r row o f sev en close
se t, sh o r t, co n ic a l, fu rrow e d te e lh , a lm o s t c o n c e a le d b y
in te g um e n t ; th e r e is a lso a sm a ll to o th c lo se to th e
sym p h y sis s till m o re e x te r io r th a n th is row, m a k in g th e
leelh th re e d e e p a t th a t sp o t.
T h e sn o u t is o b tu s e , th e ey e m o d e ra te ly la rg e , th e p o s te
rio r n o s trils a re n o t tu b u la r , a n d th e g ill-o p e n in g is
la rg e r th a n u su a l, a u d p la c e d a t a c o n s id e ra b le d is ta n c e
from th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . T h e fold o f sk in in v e s tin g
th e d o rs a l is ve ry la x , a n d com e s foi-ward to th e e y e s , from
b e h in d wh ich i t ris e s iu a h ig h a n d a b ru p t cu rv e . T h e
d o rs a l c om m e n c e s a little way b e fo re th e g ill-o p e n in g , o r
a b o u t h a lf a n in c h in a s p e c im e n m e a s u r in g tw e n ty -s e v e n
in c h e s ; a n d its firs t ra y s a re s lio rt, th e s u c c e e d in g o n e s
in c re a s in g vapidly u n til th e y a tta in th e fu ll h e ig h t o f th e
fin, w h ich is ev en for th e g r e a te s t p a r t o f i ts le n g th . T h e
a n u s in o n e sp e c im en is a b o u t a fiftie th p a r t o f th e whole
le n g ih b e y o n d th e m id d le , w h ile in a n o th e r i t is a th ir-
le e n lh p a r t, th e ta il b e in g com p a ra tiv e ly s h o r t in th e l a t te
r. T h is is a n in s ta n c e o f th e d a n g e r o f r e ly in g so le ly on
su c h m e a s iire n ie n ts for th e e s ta b lis hm e n t o f sp e c ific c h a ra
c te r s in th is g en u s .
T h e h e a r t is s itu a te d b e tw e e n th e g ill-o p e n in g s a n d
fo u r g ills a re p la c e d in a b a g ou e a c h s id e o f th e th ro a t.
E a c h g ill-o p e n in g e n te r s its p ro p e r b a g a t th e p o s te
rio r p a r t, a n d th e r e a re five ro u n d h o le s b y w h ic h th e
b a g com m u n ic a te s w ith th e g u lle t, fo u r o f th e h o le s p e r fo r
a tin g th e b a s e s o f th e four gills, a n d th e fifth th e m em b
r a n e b e h in d th e la s t gill. N o p a r t o f th e g ills a d h e re s
to th e wa lls o f th e sa c , a n d th e r e a re n o r a k e r s o n th e a n te
rio r b o rd e r s o f th e g ill-p la te s .
O n o p e n in g th e b e lly th e liv e r is se en ly in g to th e r ig h t
o f th e s tom a c h , b u t n o t e x c e e d in g o iie -tb ird o f th e len g tli
o f th a t v is cu s , w h ich is a lo n g , c o n ic a l b a g , r e a c h in g
d ow nw a rd s to th e an u s . T h e p y lo r ic orific e is a sm a ll,
ro u n d , la te r a l o p e n in g , s itu a te d midway b e tw e en th e g u ll
e t a n d th e tip o f th e s tom a c h , w h ic h in a sp e c im e n m e a su
rin g tw en ty -s e v e n in c h e s is te n in c h e s a n d a q u a r te r
lo n g . T h e in te rn a l c o a t o f th e s tom a c h is p la ite d lo n g itu
d in a lly . T h e g u t d e s c e n d s from th e p y lo ru s b e h in d th e
liv e r, p a ra lle l to a n d in c o n ta c t w ith th e s tom a c h , a n d
n e a r th e a n u s th e re is a d ila te d p a r t , which c o n ta in s a
c om p le te sp ir a l valve, formed b y tra n sv e rs e s e p ta , e a ch
h a v in g a s e n iilu n a r n o tc h , w h ich is a lte rn a te ly tu rn e d to
th e r ig h t a n d le ft. T w o o r th r e e v a lve s a re s tr e n g th e n e d
b y lo n g itu d in a l fo ld s o f m em b ra n e from th e s id e o f th e
gut. T h e r e a re in a ll s ix tra n sv e rs e v a lv e s, a n d a sm o o th
p ie c e o f g u t in te rv e n e s b e tw e en th e v a lv u la r p a r t a n d th e
an u s .
T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r is white o n th e th ro a t a n d b e lly , with
a p u rp lis h gray o r s lig h tly b row n ish lin t tow a rd s th e b a c k ,
in te rsp e rs e d w ith in n um e r a b le ro u n d ish , d a rk , b la c k ish
p u rp le 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 . T h e sp o ts
a re move r a r e o u th e m id d le lin e o f th e b e lly tow a rd s th e
v e n t, n um e ro u s on th e c h e e k s a n d s id e s , a n d d e n s e ly
c row d e d a n d m o re o r le s s c o n flu e n t on th e b a c k a n d fins.
T h e y a re a g g re g a te d a n d b la c k e r in ova l a n d ro u n d ish
p a tc h e s d isp o s e d in th r e e o r fo u r rows a lo n g th e fish.
T lie sp e c k s a re n o t r e p r e s e n te d ro u n d en o u g h in th e
fig u re . T h e fins a re slig h tly e d g e d w ith w h ite tow a rd s
th e tip o f th e ta il.
L e n g ih .... .... .... 2 8 '2 5 2 6 '7 5 in c h e s .
„ from sn o u t to a n u s .... 1 4 '6 0 15 00
„ „ to g ill-o p e n in g 3 90 4'25
H e ig h t o fb o d y ......................... 1'90 2 '0 0
T h ic k n e s s o f d itto .... TOO 1 1 0
H a b . T h e w e ste rn a n d n o r th e rn sh o re s o f A u s tr a lia a n d
th e c o a s ts o f N ew G u in e a .