fin e folds. P y lo r ic o rific e la te r a l, n e a r th e oe so p h a g u s ,
o p e n in g d ire c tly in to a m u c h m o re s le n d e r in te s tin e ,
w h ic h lie s p a r a lle l to th e s tom a c h . T h e in te s tin e is r e tic
u la te d in te r io r ly , th e w rin k le s b e c om in g g ra d u a lly m o re
d e lic a te , a n d d is a p p e a r in g in th e low e r p a r t o f th e c a n
a l. A t th e j u n c t io n o f th e sm a ll in te s tin e w ith th e w id e r
re c tum its in n e r c o a t p ro je c ts so a s to form a c irc u la r
v a lv e , b u t th e g u t was n o t in a c o n d itio n to e n a b le m e to
a s c e r ta in w h e th e r a c om p le te sp ira l v a lv e e x is te d o r n o t.
A ir -b la d d e r o f a lo n g -o v a l fo rm , a n in c h in le n g th .
L e n g th 17-5 in c h e s . T o a n u s 8 in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n in g
2 ‘45 in c h e s .
O b s .— M cC le lla u d c h a r a c te r is e s h is T Iu e ro d o n iis r e itc u -
la fa {which we h a v e su p p o s e d m a y p ro v e to b e id e n tic a l
with th e G ym n o ih o r a x fa v a g in e u s o f B lo c h ) , a s follow s:
“ T e e th s h a rp a n d h o o k e d , c o n s is tin g o f a s in g le row on
th e e d g e s o f b o th j aw s , a u d a d o u b le row o n th e c e n tre
o f th e b a c k p a r t o f th e p a la te , w ith th r e e m o v e ab le fan g s
n e a r th e a p e x o f th e u p p e r j a w . C row n h ig h a n d ro u n d e d ,
e v e ry p a r t o f th e b o d y m a rk e d w ith b la c k , p e n ta n g u la r
s p o ts , s e p a r a te d b y n a r row w h ite lin e s .” [C a lc u tta Jo u rn .
o f N a t. H i s t . J u ly , 1844).
M ü k æ n a t e s s e l l a t a . R ic h a rd so n .
Muroena tessellata, Richardsou, Ichth. of Voy. of Sulphur, p. 109
Plate Iv. tig. 5—8. r < i
N a s a l te e th tw e lv e , u n is e ria l, s u b u la te , ve ry a c u te , n o t
ta ll. T h r e e te e th on th e me sia l lin e o f th e d isk , th e p o s te
r io r o n e b e in g th e ta lle s t in th e m o u th , s to u tish a t th e
b a s e a n d v e ry a c u te . V om e rin e te e lh u n is e ria l, sh o rt,
a c u te . P a la tin e te e th te n in th e o u te r s e rie s , m o re c om p
re s s e d th a n th e n a s a l o n e s , very a c u te a n d re flex , fo rm in
g a s lig h tly a rc h e d row ; in n e r row o f tw o ta lle r o n e s a l
th e fo re e n d o f th e b o n e . E a c h lim b o f th e m a n d ib le is
a rm e d a n te r io r ly b y th re e ta ll t e e th , lik e th e n a s a l one s,
th e s e c o n d b e in g th e s to u te s t a n d ta lle s t, a n d in th e sam e
lin e , b y fo u rte en la te r a l te e th , w h ic h a re su b u la te a n d re fle
x , th e fo rem o s t b e in g sm a lle r th a n th e re st. T h e m a n d
ib le is s lig h tly co n c a v e o r re cu rv ed .
T h is M u roe n a h a s a d iffe ren t form from c a n c e lla ta , a m ore
o b tu s e s n o u t, a fu ll a n d n o t c o n c av e p ro file , a sh o rte r
g a p e , sm a lle r ey e , low e r d o rs a l fin, a n d d iffe ren t c o lo u r,
w ith few e r a n d la rg e r m e sh e s fo rm ed b y th e w hile lin e s .
T h e m e sh e s a re m u c h le s s n um e ro u s th a n th o s e o f fa v a g i -
n ea. T h e d o r s a l c om m en c e s b e fo re th e g ill-o p e n in g , a n d
th e v e n t is a b o u t o n e -fiftie th o f th e w h o le le n g th b e fo re th e
m id d le o f th e fish. T h e p o s te r io r o p e n in g s a re n o t tu b u la r.
O n e sp e c im en e x i s t s in th e M u s e um o f H a s la r H o sp ita l
a n d a n o th e r was p r e s e n te d to th e B r itis h M u s e um b y th e
C o lle g e o f S u rg e o n s . T h e y a re s u p p o s e d to h a v e com e
from th e s o u th e rn s e a s , b u t th e p la c e o f c a p tu r e o f e ith e r
is unk n ow n .
L e n g th , tota l
to a n u s
„ to g ill-o p e n in g
9 0 4
4-20
1-00
13-5
6-5
0-82
M u r æ n a c o l u b r in a , C om m e rso n a p u d L a c e p .
Muranafasciaia, Banks et Sulatiiler, MSS. p. 68 ?
La Murinophis colubrine, Lacep. v. p. 641. 648.
P la te X IX ., fig. 1.
A M u roe n a ta k e n am o n g th e S o c ie ty I s la n d s o n C o o k ’s
h r s t v o y ag e is b rie fly n o tic e d in S o la n d e r ’s n o te s , a s follow
s : M u r æ n a f a s c ia t a , io ta fa s c in ta , fa s c iis la t i s e x
a lb id o c tn e r a s c e n lib u s ,fa s c ioe d uæ i n c a p ite lu te s c e n iib u s .
i n s a rg e n te o fu s c e s c e n s . P u p i l la n ig ra . P a s c ioe p e r
p in n a s e .v te n d u n tu r : ' N a tiv e n am e s “ E p u i- e a rh u .” E x c
e p t in th e e x is te n c e o f th e b a n d s th e r e is little in th is n o t
ic e to id en tify i t w ith a b a n d e d M u roe n a w h ic h th e B ri-
Urfi M u s eum r e c e iv e d from th e C o lle g e o f S u rg eo n s .
T h e o rig in o f th e sp e c im e n is n o t r e c o rd e d , b u t i t w a s a s s
o c ia te d in th e c o lle c tio n w ith som e fish c o lle c te d on
C o o k ’s v o y ag e . L a c e p e d e ’s figure o f M . c o lu b r in a r e p r e s
e n ts o u r fish p r e tty w e ll, a n d sh ow s th e fin s frin g in g th e
p o in t o f th o ta il, y e t in th e ‘ R è g n e A n im a l ’ i t is q u o te d
a s sp e c ific a lly th e sam e w ith th e M u roe n a a n n u la ta o f
T h u n b e rg , w h ich is a n O p h is u r u s w ith d o u b le th e n um b e r
o f b la c k r in g s o n th e b o d y .
N a s a l te e th tw e lv e , s le n d e rly su b u la te a n d very a cu te ,
in o ne se rie s. T h r e e t a lle r o n e s o n th e m e s ia l lin e o f th e
d isk , a n d n in e ve ry low, sm a ll, b lu n tis h te e th in a sin g le
row o n th e vom e r. P a la tin e t e e th b is e r ia l, o u te r row o f
tw e lv e o r th ir te e n te e th , w h ic h a re n a rrow ly la n c eo la te ,
v e ry a c u te , low , a n d m u c h re f le x e d : th e in n e r row c o n s
is ts o f four ta ll, s le n d e r te e lh , s ta n d in g o p jio s ite to th e com m
e n c em e n t o f th e o u te r row. E a c h lim b o f th e m an d ib le
IS a rm e d b y tw e n ty -fo u r a c u te , c om p re s s e d te e th ; th r e e o f
w h ich n e a r th e sym p h y s is a re s e t a lte rn a te ly w ith tw o m in
u te o n e s : th e fo llow in g te e th a re s im ila r in h e ig h t, r e g u la
r ity a n d in c lin a tio n to th e o u te r p a la tin e ones.
J aw s e q u a l. P o s te r io r n a s a l o p e n in g with tum id lip s ,
p la c e d ve ry n e a r th e s u p e rio r a n te r io r m a rg in o f th e o rb it’
T h e a n te r io r o n e s e n d in r a th e r lo n g tu b e s . B o d y co n s i-
d e r a b ly c om p re s s e d , p a r tic u la r ly p o s te rio rly , th e ta il t a p e r in
g , a n d e n d in g very a c u te ly . A n u s a b o u t o n e -fo u rte e n th
o f th e wh o le le n g th b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e fish. T h e
d o rs a l fin is ve ry co n sp ic u o u s , a n d th e fold o f sk in in
wh ich i t lie s is th in n e r th a n u su a l in th e M u ræ noe , .so th a t
th e r a y s c a n b e re a d ily se en when it is h e ld u p to th e
lig h t. T h e y a re n o t, however, e a s ily re c k o n e d , ow in g to
th e ir te n u ity , a n d th e y a re sh o r te r a t th e lip o f th e ta il
th a n o n th e b a c k . T h e re tic u la tio n s o f th e sk in p ro d u c e d
b y th e m u s c u la r fa s c ic u li a re v e ry fine, a n d th e la te ra l lin e
is im p e r c e p tib le , th o u g h th e re is a furrow w h e re th e
m u s c le s o f th e s id e me e t.
T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r o f th e sp e c im en , w h ic h h a s b e en
lo n g m a c e r a te d in sp irits , is b row n ish , th a t o f th e fins
b e in g p a le y e llow o r so ile d w h ite : b o th a re c ro s s ed b y
fifte en v e ry r e g u la r a n d n e a tly -d e f in e d b la c k b a rs , n o t so
vvide a s th e in te r sp a c e s . T h e f ir s t b a r in c lu d e s th e eye,
th e s e c o n d is im m e d ia te ly b e h in d th o m o u th , th e th ird
p a s s e s ov e r th e g ill-o p e n in g , th e s ev en th is j u s t b e fo re th e
a n u s , a n d th e l a s t is o n th e e n d o f th e ta i l , le a v in g o n ly
th e w h ite tip o f th e fin b ey o n d .
T h e b a rs contra.st m o re s tro n g ly w ith th e p a le fins th a n
w ith th e b row n e r b o d y . L e n g th 8 ‘4 in c h e s . T o a n u s 3 '6 .
T o g ill-o p e n in g 1 in c h .
H-\B. N ew B r ita in , A m b o y n a (C om m e rso n a p u d L a c e p
e d e ). P o ly n e s ia ? (S o lan d e r),
S o la n d e r a lso d e s c r ib e s a M . v i t ta ta , b u t th is d e riv e s its
nam e from a lo n g itu d in a l s trip e .
“ M u r ® na v it t a t a . P is c is suprc i in te n s e e fu s c o briin -
n eus, c i tta s e c u n d um m e d ium d o r sum e f la v o a lb id a , a
c a p ite u sq u e a d J in em c a u d a , s u b tu s in f r a lin e d la te ra li
io lu s so rd id e e lu te o albescens. O c u li m in u t i. I r i s j l a -
reo-aurea. P u p illa n ig r a ." “ E u a l h a " a b o r ig in o rum .
(B an k s e t S o la n d e r, M S S . p . 78.)
H a b . S o c ie ty I s la n d s .
M u r æ n a m o r in g u a , C uv .
Muræna Catesl
Muræna nwringua, Cuv. Reg, An. 8. p.
M maculata, nigra et viridis, Catesby, t. 20.
'• .r V3„„ 4t, O n
R a d ii D . 323 ; A. 232 = Î (J am a ic a sp e c .).
N a s a l te e th twe lve , ta ll, s to u tly s u b u la te , com p re s s ed ,
with sh a rp ed g e s , a n d g e n e ra lly two n tin u le te e th b e tw e e n
each p a ir , a ll in o ne row. T h r e e m e s ia l te e th , a n d n in e
very a c u te , sh o r tly su b u la te v om e rin e te e th in o n e vow.
P a la tin e te e th e ig h te e n o r n in e te e n , m u c h c om p re s s ed ,
acu te a n d re fle x , th e a n te r io r th r e e sm a ll, a n d su c c e e d e d
im m ed ia te ly b y th e ta lle s t in th e row, th e fo llow in g one s
d e c re a sin g a s u s u a l tow'a rds th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . In
one sp e c im e n th e r e is a ta ll, s le n d e r to o th w ith in th e c om m
e n c em e n t o f th e o u te r row , b u t th is is a b s e n t in five o r
s ix o th e r sp e c im e n s , h a v in g p ro b a b ly b e e n b ro k e n away.
T h e m a n d ib le is a rm e d an te rio rly b y th r e e ta ll, s to u t, su b
u la te te e th o n e a c h lim b , w ith two o r th r e e m in u te one s
between th em , a n d la te r a lly b y a b o u t n in e te e n com p re s s ed ,
a cu te te e th , fo rm in g a n even, low se rie s.
D o rs a l com m en c in g b e tw e e n tb e n a p e a n d g ill-o p e n in g .
Anus a b o u t a tw en ty -fo u rth p a r t o f th e to ta l le n g th before
th e m id d le o f th e fish. G a p e o f th e m o u th la rge .
G ro u n d c o lo u r p a le , w ith d a rk , liv e r-b row n sp o ts o f va rious
s iz e s , from th a t o f a p e a d ow nw a rd s , a n d m o re or
le s s co n flu en t, b u t g e n e ra lly r e ta in in g a ro u n d ish form.
T h e sp o ts a re sm a lle r, ro u n d e r, a n d move d is tin c t o n th e
h e ad a n d m o re co n flu en t n e a r th e e n d o f ta il, th e p a le
gro u n d c o lo u r o c c u p y in g , h ow ev e r, ev e ryw h e re e x c e p t on
th e ch e ek s le s s sp a c e th a n th e sp o ts . T h e l in t o f th e
sp o ts is le s s d e e p on th e b e lly .
L en g th 2 3 '5 in c h e s . T o a n u s 1 0 '7 5 in c h e s . T o gill-
o p en in g 3 '4 in c h e s . T h e sp e c ie s a tta in s th e le n g ih o f
upw a rd s o f th r e e feet.
Cuvier re fe rs to th e 3 Iu roe n a m a c u la ta , n ig r a o f C a te sb y ,
t. 21, a s th e ty p e o f h is m o r in g u a , b u t t. 2 0 ag re e s b e s t
w ith m o st o f th e sp e c im e n s we h a v e e x am in e d . T h e r e is,
h owever, n o ve ry m a rk e d d iffe renc e b e iw e e n th e figure s,
b o th b e in g co a rs e ly draw n . T h e B r itis h M u seum p o s s e s s e s
a d ried skin in w h ic h th e p a le in te r s p a c e s a re narrow e r,
a n d r e d u c e d n e a rly to th e w in d in g rc lic n la lio n s o f 31. th y r soidea.
H a b . T h e B e rm u d a s , G u lf o f M e x ic o , a n d C a r ib b e a n
M u r æ n a l in e o - p in n i s . R ic h a rd so n .
c ir c ite r D . 3 2 0 ; A. 1 6 0 ; = 480.
S in c e th e p r e c e d in g sh e e t w e n t to p r e s s , th e B r itis h
M u s eum h a s p u r c h a s e d from H e r r B ra n t, o f H am b u rg h , a
S o u th A m e ric an 3 Iu roe n a , la b e lle d M u ræ n o p h is sa g a , b u t
w h ic h is ev id e n tly w id e ly d iffe ren t from th e N e tta s tom a
sa g a o f R a fin e sq u e a n d R is so (vide p . 96).
A b o u t te n p r e tty ta ll, c om p re s s e d -su b u la te , v e ry a c u te ,
u n is e ria l n a s a l te e lh , a n d a n e q u a l n um b e r o f sm a ll te e th
in th e in tenm ls . T h r e e ta lle r m e s ia l te e th , a n d sev en o r
e ig h t sm a ll a c u te v om e rin e o n e s , s e t a lte rn a te ly a U tile to
th e r ig l i la n d le ft, so a s to a p p ro a c h a b is e r ia l a rra n g em e n t.
F o u r te e n n a rrow ly la n c e o la te p a la tin e te e th , th e th re e a n te
r io r o n e s b e in g sm a ll, th e m id d le o n e s la rg e r , a n d th e
p o s te r io r one s d e c r e 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
c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . A s in g le ve ry s le n d e r, a n d n o t ta ll,
mov e ab le in te r io r to o th , a t th e fore p a r t o f th e b o n e , re n d e r s
th e a r r a n g em e n t b is e ria l. T h e fore jia r t o f th e m a n d ib le is
a rm ed , on e a ch lim b , b y fo u r o r five ta ll s to u t te e th , w ith
a sm a ll a n d r a th e r m o re e x te r io r o n e in e a c h in te rv a l.
T h e s e a re followed on th e s id e s o f th e b o n e b y s ix sm a ll,
c lo se s e t, a c u te c om p re s s e d te e th , a n d in su c c e ssio n b y
ten la rg e r re flex , n a rrow ly la n c e o la te one s, which a re s e n s ib
ly la rg e r th e n e a r e r th e y a re to th e c o rn e r o f th e m o n th .
T h is 3 J u ræ n a is c o n s id e ra b ly c om p re s s e d , w ith a sw e llin
g th ro a t, a p r e tty l a rg e g a p e , a n d th e do rsa l c om m e n c in g
b y a n a b ru p t c u rv e a b o u t m idw ay b e tw e e n th e e y e a n d th e
gill-o p en in g . T h e fin is h ig h , a n d th e in v e s tiu g fold o f
sk in b e in g r a th e r th in its ra y s a re m o re th a n u su a lly v is ib
le . T h e a n u s is o n e -e le v e n th o f th e wh o le le n g th o f th e
fish a n te r io r to th e m id d le . C o lo u r, a fte r m a c e ra tio n in
s p ir its , p u rp lis h - o r b row n ish -b la c k , w ith o u t sp o ts , th e
v e n tra l surfa c e b e in g p a le r . T h e d o rs a l is tra v e rs e d b y
fine o b liq u e lin e s o f a d a rk e r h u e , fo r th e m o s t p a r t
sev en o r e ig h t in th e h e ig h t a t a n y o ne p o in t. T h e a n a l,
wliich is low, h a s few e r lin e s , a n d th e tw o fins a re n a rrow e
s t a t th e ir u n io n ro u n d th e lip o f th e ta il. T h e folds o f
th ro a t a re m a rk e d o u t b y fine b la c k lin e s.
L e n g th 22 in c h e s . T o a n u s 10 5 in c h e s . T o g illo
p e n in g 2 in c h e s . H e ig h t o f b o d y 1'25 in ch . C irc um f
e ren c e 3 in c h e s . H e ig h t o f d o rs a l fin 0 '7 5 in c h .
H a b . P u e r to C ab a llo .
M u r .e n a g r is e o - b a d ia . R ic h a rd so n .
O n e row o f c lo s e s e t, c o n ic o -su b u la te , n a s a l te e lh , fo u rte
e n o r s ix te e n in n um b e r, th e four p o s te r io r o u e s on e a ch
side b e n t b a ckw a rd s a l th e ir m id d le s . Two ta ll, s lig h tly
re c u rv e d , m o d e ra te ly a c u te te e lh o n th e m e s ia l l i n e ; a n d
a b o u t e lev en sm a ll, ro u n d a u d o b tu s e v om e rin e te e th in
o n e row, b u t two o f th em s ta n d in g a little o u t o f lin e .
P a la tin e te e th b is e r ia l : th e o u te r row c om p o s ed o f fo u rte
e n c lo se s e t, low, ev en , b lu n tis h te e lh ; th e in n e r o n e o f
Q