h a v e b e com e d e e p b la c k d o ts , o f w h ic h o n e se rie s c a n b e
tra c e d o v e r tlie g ill-o p e n in g , a n d a s h o r t w ay a lo n g th e
s id e , in th e co u rs e o f th e la te r a l l in e ; a n o th e r row ru n s
Irom th e a n g le o f th e m o u th ov e r th e b ra n c h ia l m em b ra n e ,
a n d th e r e a re a few p o re s u n d e r th e jaw .
L e n g th 3 2 ‘5 in c h e s . T o a n u s a b o u t 15'5 in c h e s . T o
g ill-o p e n in g 3 '6 in c h e s .
H a b . In d ia .
M u r æ n a g r a c il is .
Tw o e x am p le s o f th is fish in tlie B r itis h M u s eum a c c o rd
w e ll with d r aw in g 8 0 3 in H a rdw ic k e ’s co lle c tio n .
N a s a l te e th s u b u la te a n d a c u te , in tw o row s ; th o s e o f
th e o u te r row v e ry sm a ll, a n d s itu a te d a t th e b a s e s o f th e
in n e r row , w h ic h a re ta lle r a n d s to u te r. T h r e e su b u la te
te e th o n th e m e sia l lin e o f th e d isk , a n d two row s o f s h o rt,
c o n ic a l, ta p e r in g a c u te v om e rin e te e th , s e t a lte rn a te ly .
P a la tin e te e th in tw o rows ; th o s e o f th e o u te r row a b o u t
n in e te e n o r tw e n ty in n um b e r, sh o r t, e r e c t, c om p re s s e d ;
th e in n e r row c o n s is tin g o f a b o u t te n ta lle r , s len d e r,
s lig h tly re c u rv e d a n d a c u te te e th . A b o u t n in e te e n r a th e r
a c u te la te r a l m a n d ib u la r te e th a re a rr a n g e d in a n even,
c row d ed s e rie s , with two row s a t th e e n d o f th e j a w ; th e
o u te r row b e in g com p o s e d o f te e th sm a lle r th a n th e la te r a l
o n e s ; a n d th e in n e r row o f a b o u t s ix o n e a c h lim b , a
l i t t le t a lle r a n d s to u te r th a n th e n a s a l o n e s , a n d in c
re a s in g g r a d u a lly in h e ig h t a s th e y re c e d e from th e svm-
p h y s is .
T h is is a s le n d e r sp e c ie s , w ith a r a th e r sm a ll m o u th , a n d
th e u n d e r ja w som ew h a t s h o r te r th a n th e u p p e r one.
S e v e ra l In d ia n s p e c ie s h a v e s im ila r m o u th s . T h e sn o u t
is o b tu s e , th e p ro file ra th e r h o llow a t th e ey e , th e h in d
h e a d lu ll a n d co n v e x , a u d th e ta il co n s id e ra b ly c om p
re s s e d , th e b o d y o n ly m o d e ra te ly so . T h e d o rs a l c om m
e n c e s over, o r a ve ry little b e fo re , th e g ill-o p e n in g .
T h e a n u s is p la c e d j u s t b e fo re th e m id d le . T h e co lo u r
o f th e sp e c im e n s in sp ir its is b row n ish , w ith p a le ro u n d
d o ts , n o t so b ig a s th e h e a d o f th e .sm alle st-siz ed p in , s c a tte
r e d o v e r th e b o d y a n d fins, a n d o n e o f th em h a s a lso a
few p a le r b lo tc h e s , a b o u t th e s iz e o f a ve ry sm a ll pea.
L e n g ih , to ta l . . . 11-25 lO'O
„ to a n u s . . 5-86 4 '9
„ to g ill-o p e n in g P 3 5 1'2
1 'h e sp e c im e n s we re b ro u g h t from In d ia b y G e n e ra l
H a rdw ic k e , a n d h is d raw in g a p p e a r s , from th e s ty le o f its
e x e c u tio n , s e em s to h a v e b e e n m ad e b y o n e o f H am ilto n
B u c h a n a n ’s a rtis ts .
H a b . In d ia .
A n o th e r d raw in g in G e n e ra l H a rdw ic k e ’s c o lle c tio n {No.
3 0 8 u n d e r fig u re ) is m a rk e d “ M. H . B . O c tr. 3, 18, M .
t i le b a im ," a n d is d o u b tle s s a re p r e s e n ta tio n o f th e M . t i l e
o f H am ilto n B u c h a n a n , i t is a c om p re s s e d a n d r a th e r
d e e p -b o d ie d sp e c ie s , w ith th e re tic u la tio n s o f th e skin
s tro n g e r th a n u-sual; h e n c e th e y a re n o tic e d in th e c h a r a c t
e r o f th e sp e c ie s g iv en in th e G a n g e tic fish e s. T h e
d o rs a l c om m e n c e s b e fo re th e g ill-o p e n in g , a n d th e a n u s is
a little b e h in d th e m id d le . T h e fins a re r a th e r h ig h , a n d
a re o f a d a rk n e u tr a l tin t sp e c k le d w ith ye llow. W e have
s een n o sp e c im e n s c o ix e sp o n d in g w ith th is d raw in g ,
S tro p ld d oH p u n c lu tia n a n d S t . li t e r a tu m o f Me C le lla n d
h a v e tlie ir d o rs a ls c om m e n c in g n e a r e r th e h e a d th a n in
g r a c ilis , v e rm ic u la la , o r tile .
M u ræ n a v e r m ic u l a t a .
Muræna. Icon. Hardw. ined. 310.
M a rg in a l n a s a l te e th in two s e rie s , so c lo s e ly s itu a te d as
to lo o k lik e o ne . O u te r row c om p o s e d o f tw e lv e o r fo u rte
en ve ry s h o r t a c u te te e lh ; in n e r row foi m in g a sem ic irc le ,
a t th e e n d o f th e j aw , o f c o n ic o -su b u la te ve ry a c u te te e th ;
th e to o th o n e a c h s id e o f th e sym p h y s is sm a lle r th a n th e
re s t. T h r e e su b u la te te e th on th e m e sia l lin e o f th e n a s a l
d isk ; a n d a b o u t tw e n ty -tw o sh o rt, s to u tish b u t a c u te vo!
m e rin e te e lh , s e t a lte rn a te ly a little to th e r ig h t o r le ft, so
a s to m a k e two irre g u la r rows. T w o row s o f p a la tin e
te e th ; th o se o f th e o u te r row, which d o e s n o t re a c h to th e
c o rn e r o f th e m o u th , n in e te e n in im n ib e r, close ly s e t, sh o rt,
e v en , com p re s s e d a n d m o d e ra te ly a c u te ; in n e r row c o n s
is tin g o f n in e ta lle r, s u b u la te , a n d ve ry a c u te te e th , s e t
m o re w id e ly , b u t n o t e x te n d in g b e y o n d tvvo-tliirds o f th e
le n g th o f th e o u te r row. E a c h lim b o f th e m a n d ib le is
a rm ed b y a b o u t tw en ty -fo u r te e th , th e la te r a l o n e s d isp o s e d
in a n even s e r ie s : a t th e e n d o f th e jaw th e re a re two
rows, th e o u te r o n e c om p o s e d o f n um e ro u s low te e th , a n d
th e in n e r o n e o f ta lle r a n d m o re w id e ly s e t te e th ; b u t th is
p a r t o f th e jaw h a v in g b e e n in ju r e d ' in b o th sp e c im en s,
th e ir e x a c t n um b e r c a n n o t b e a sc e rta in e d .
T h i s fish is s lig h tly c om p re s s e d a n te rio rly , b u t b e com
e s co n s id e ra b ly m ore so in th e ta il, w h ic h h a s a n o b tu
s e lip . T h e sn o u t is b lu n t, a n d a little lo n g e r th a n th e
lowe r j a w ; th e n o s e h o r iz o n ta l, with a co n c a v ity in th e
pro file ov e r th e ey e , a n d a s u d d e n ris e in th e b a c k o f th e
h e a d a n d n a p e . T h e r e is a lso m u ch fu lln e s s in th e th ro a t.
T h e d o rs a l w h ich c om m en c e s o v e r th e g ill-o p e n in g is low
a n te rio rly , a n d h ig h e s t in th e ta il, b u t is su ffic ien tly c o n sp
ic u o u s th ro u g h o u t. T h e a n u s is p la c e d a b o u t th e
th ir iy - s e c o iu l p a r t o f th e w h o le le n g th be fore th e m id d le o f
th e fish.
I n c o lo u r a n d m a rk in g s th is sp e c ie s h a s som e re s em b
la n c e to M . m e lea g r is , b u t th e sp o ts a re sm a lle r. T h e
g en e ra l t in t is betw'een d a rk h a ir-b row n a n d w o o d -b row n ,
s tu d d e d w ith little g re y sp e c k s o f a n g u la r, ro u n d , o b lo n g ,
c o n ju g a te d o r c re s c e n tic forms, m ix e d with o th e rs so m in
u te a s to b e s c a rc e ly p e r c e p tib le to th e n a k e d ey e . T h e
th ro a t a n d fore p a r t o f th e b e lly a re o f a liv id w h ite co lo u r,
w ith o u t sp o ts , b u t tow a rd s th e v e n t th e w h ite is fa in tly
m o ttle d w ith p a le gray .
A sp e c im e n o f th is M u ræ n a w h ic h was b e q u e a th e d by
G e n e ra l H a rdw ic k e to th e B ritish M u seum ag re e s with
M. g r a c ilis in its d e n titio n , a n d diffe rs from i t chie fly in
b e in g th ic k e r a b o u t th e th ro a t a n d h e a d , ta p e r in g m ore in
th e ta il. T h e p a tte rn s o f th e sp o ts a re a lso diffe ren t. I t
m ay , h oweve r, b e th a t sp e c ie s b e tte r fed a n d grow’n to a
g r e a te r size. I am n o t a lto g e th e r c o n v in c e d th a t this
M u ræ n a a n d g ra c ilis a re d is tin c t from B u c h a n a n ’s tile ,
y e t I c a n n o t re c o n c ile th em with th e d raw in g o f tile , 308,
w h ic h is a u th e n tic a te d b y a r e fe re n c e to B u c h a n a n .
L e n g th 17-8 in c h e s . T o a n u s 9 ’2 o in c h e s . T o g ill-
o p e n in g 2~ '2 i'n c h e s .
H ab. In d ia .
M u r æ n a m e l e a g r i s . Shaw.
MurcBiui meleagris, Sliaw, Nat. Misc. pi. 220. Gen. Zool. p. 32.
Murania p inMe, Quoy et Gaimard, Voy. de Freycenet, pi. 52, f. 2.
N a s a l te e th s to u tly s u b u la te , b i s e r ia l ; th e o u te r row
c om p o s ed o f te e th u n e q u a l in h e ig h t, b u t n o n e o f th em
very t a l l ; th e in n e r row c o n s is tin g o f ta lle r te e th ra n g e d
in a s em ic irc le . T h r e e te e th o n th e m e s ia l lin e o f th e
disk, th e fo rem o s t b e in g th e ta lle s t, a n d ra n g in g w ith th e
in te rio r m a rg in a l row. V om e rin e le e lh c o n ic o -su b u la te ,
sh o rt a n d a c u te , d isp o s e d in o n e row an te rio rly , b u t s e p a r
a tin g in to tw o p o s te rio rly . P a la tin e te e th a b o u t fifteen
in th e o u te r se rie s, c lo se s e t a n d r e f le x ; th e f irs t four a u g m
e n t su c c e ssiv e ly in h e ig h t, th e fo u rth b e in g th e ta lle s t in
th e s e r ie s ; th e s u c c e e d in g o n e s a rc co n s id e ra b ly sh o rte r,
a n d d im in ish gi'adua lly in s iz e 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 . T h e in n e r se rie s s ta n d s at_ some d is ta n c e
from th e o u te r o n e , a n d is c om p o s e d o f e ig h t ta ll w ide ly
s e t te e th . A t th e fore p a r t o f t h e b o n e th e re a re two te e th ,
o f in te rm e d ia te h e ig h t, b e tw e en th e row s , m ak in g th re e
rows th e re . M a n d ib le a little r e c u rv e d , a n d a rm e d on
each lim b b y tw e n ty -e ig h t a c u te , s lig h tly re c u rv e d te e lh ,
o f u n e q u a l h e ig h t, th e in e q u a lity b e in g g r e a te s t am o n g th e
an te rio r one s. A t th e e n d o f th e jaw th e re is a n in n e r
sem ic irc le o f ta lle r te e th , n o t fa r rem o v ed from th e o u te r
oue.
E y e r a th e r b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e g ap e . S n o u t b lu n tish,
'w ith th e h e a d a p p a r e n tly g ib b o u s in fro n t. B o d y
h ig h a n d com p re s s ed . P o s te r io r n o s tr ils n o t tu b u la r.
D o rs a l c om m e n c in g a ve ry little be fore th e g ill-o p en in g .
Anus o n e - th ir te e n 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 co lo u rs o f th e sp e c im en h av e p a r tia lly p e r ish e d , b u t
whe re th e y rem a in th e g ro u n d l in t is a ric h c h e s tn u t-
b row n , th ic k ly s tu d d e d with sm a ll p a le sp o ts , p la c e d a l
p re tty re g u la r d is ta n c e s in e a c h lo c a lity . On th e fore p a r t
o f th e b o d y th e y a re m o s tly a n g u la r, lu n a te , o r o b lo n g ; on
th e ta il ro u n d e r a n d m o re d is ta n t, a n d n o n e o f th em e x c e e d
th e h e a d o f th e sm a lle s t p in in siz e . T h e y e x te n d to th e
end o f th e sn o u t.
L e n g th 20 in c h e s . L e n g th from e n d o f sn o u t to a n u s
9 35. L e n g th from d itto to g ill-o p e n in g
T h is d e s c rip tio n is d raw n u p from Shaw’s sp e c im en p r e served
in th e B ritish Museum.
H a b . S o u th e rn O c e an (Shaw).
T h i s g e n tlem a n s ay s th a t i t f re q u e n ts “ w e e d y p o o ls
am o n g th e ro c k s o n th e n o r th sid e o f B o n d y B a y , n e a r
S id n ey . I t is ve ry s avage when irr ita te d , a n d o n c e w h ile
I was c o lle c tin g c o r a llin e s in th a t lo c a lity a la rg e in d iv id
u a l m a d e a d a r t a t m y a n n , a n d r e tu rn e d r e p e a te d ly to
th e a tta c k , sw im m in g slowly a b o u t, w in d in g am o n g th e
se a -we ed, a n d ra is in g its sn o u t to th e su rfa c e . T h is o ne
m e a su re d 31^- in c h e s to th e tip o f th e ta il, 15|^ to th e a n u s .
I t s d e p th b e h in d th e h e a d w a s 2 in c h e s , i t s b r e a d th 1^,
a n d its c irc um fe re n c e 5J-.” (Me G illiv ray ).
E y e m o d e ra te ly la rg e ov e r th e m id d le o f th e g a p e .
T e e th a c u te . N a s a l o n e s b is e ria l, b u t som e a re b ro k e n iu
th e sp e c im en . O u te r s e rie s c o n s is tin g o f a b o u t twelve
sm a ll a c u te o n e s ; in n e r se rie s o f a b o u t se v e n o r e ig h t ta ll,
s to u tly su b u la te , a n d m u ch c om p re s s e d te e th , th e tw o row s
co n tig u o u s a n d p a r tia lly b le n d e d . M e s ia l row s le n d e r a n d
su b u la te , n o t a c u te e d g e d , th e th ird o n e ve ry ta ll a n d r e c
u rv ed . V om e rin e te e th b is e ria l in fro n t, a b o u t s ix in
e a c h row , u n itin g to form a s in g le row o f a b o u t s ev en , all
sm a ll a n d c y lin d ric a l, w ith c o n ic o -su b u la te c u sp s . P a la tin
e te e th bise ria l ; o u te r row com p o s e d o f a b o u t fouvteeii
re flex , la n c e o la te te e th , with a c u te o b liq u e tips. T h e in n e r
row is c o n s titu te d b y th r e e ta ll, s len d e r, su b u la te a n d r e cu
rv e d te e th , s ta n d in g o p p o s ite to th e fore p a r t o f th e
o u te r row. O n th e fo re q u a r te r o f th e m a n d ib le th e r e a re
o n e a ch lim b sev en o r e ig h t sm a ll e x te r io r te e th , with fo u r
o r five ta ll, re c u rv e d , s to u tly su b u la te , in te r io r o n e s , th e
p e n u ltim a te o n e o f th e s e b e in g th e la rg e s t. M o s t o f th e
la rg e r te e lh o f th e jaw s h a v e a m in u te n o tc h in th e m id d le
o f th e ir p o s te r io r e d g e , a n d som e h a v e a lso a n o tc h in
fro n t. T h e do rsa l fin is n o t h ig h , c om m e n c e s a b o u t h a lfway
b e iw e en th e o c c ip u t a n d g ill-o p e n in g , a n d c o n ta in s
3 5 6 ra y s to th e a p e x o f th e ta il. T h e ra y s a t th e e n d of
th e ta il a re sh o rt, ve ry s le n d e r, a n d m u c h c row ded. T h e
a n a l fin h a s b e e n rem oved from th e sp e c im en .
M r. M e G illiv ra y s ay s th a t th e c o lo u r w a s a “ n e a rly
u n ifo rm p a le g re en , c h a n g in g a fte r d e a th to d a rk b row n .
S e v e ra l lo n g in te r ru p te d d a rk s tre a k s ru n a lo n g th e th ro a t,
w h ic h , to g e th e r w ith th e n e c k , is m in u te ly m a rk e d , fo r th e
m o s t p a r t p e rp e n d ic u la r ly , with s h o r t w a v e d s tria ; o f p a le
b row n .”
L e n g th 2 3 j in c h e s .
H a b . A ustra lia ,
O b s .— T h e M u r è n e linéo lé e a n d M .J la v e o lé e o f L e s so n
a re r e p r e s e n te d a s h a v in g m u c h h ig h e r d o rs a ls . (L a C o q
u ille , P la te 11, f. I a n d 2). T h e G ym n o th o ra .v tv ilso n i
o f S c h n e id e r (p. 529), which is a New H o lla n d sp e c ie s ,
lo c a lly k n ow n b y th e n am e o f “ B a n n in g ,” is o rn am e n te d
with b ro a d ro s e a te sp o ts .
M u r æ n a o p h i s . R iip p e ll?
Muncna opkU, Riippell, Atl. t. 29, f. 2 ?
M u ræ n a p r a s in a . R ic h a rd so n .
Ab o u t te n m a rg in a l n a s a l te e th , co n ic a l, su b a c u tc , a n d
A d ried sk in o f th is sp e c ie s , e x is tin g in th e B r itis h M u - h o o k e d b a c kw a rd s , w ith a p o s te r io r b a s a l lo b e , a ll s h g b tly
seum, w a s b ro u g h t from A u s tra lia b y Mr. Me G illiv ra y . com p re s s ed , b u t h a v in g ro u n d e d ed g e s. M e s ia l te c lli a o -