tw o lim b s a rc in c lo se c o n ta c t, ancl c a n n o t b e s e p a ra te d .
U h e n th e m o u th is c lo s e d , th e s e te e lh a re p re s s e d a g a in s t
th e e q u a lly p rom in e n t n a s a l o n e s , th e p o s te r io r te e th o f
th e two jaw s b e in g k e p t th e r e b y som e d is ta n c e a p a rt.
E y e sm a ll, c o n s id e ra b ly b e fo re th e m id d le o f th e gape .
1 o s ie n o r n a s a l orific e h a v in g an e le v a te d b o rd e r , a n d
p la c e d a little b e fo re th e ey e . A n te rio r o ne sh o r tly tu b u la
r. D o r s a l fold o f lo o s e sk in e x te n d in g forwa rd to th e
n o s in l s , too th ic k to a llow th o ra v s to b e e ith e r se en or
le lt. B o d y c om p re s s e d , th e com p re s s io n a u gm e n tin g to w
a rd s th e lip o f th e ta il, w h ic h is n o t a c u te th o u g h it
t a ^ r s . A n u s in th e p o s te r io r th ird o f th e le n g th .
G ro u n d c o lo u r b row n , w ith sev e n ty -fo u r w h ite rin g s ,
som e o f w h ic h a re n o t c om p le te , a n d som e u n ite be fore
th e y r e a c h th e v e n tra l su rfa c e , b u t th e g re a te r p a r t are
r e g u la r , a n d a re a ll n e a r ly o f th e s am e wid th .
T h is d e s c r ip tio n is ta k e n from S h aw ’s sp e c im e n , w h ich
w a s p r e s e n te d b y th e C o lleg e o f S u rg e o n s to th e B r itis h
M u s e um . The b a c kw a rd p o s itio n o f its a n u s a n d o th e r
c h a r a c te r s se em to p o in t i t o u t a s a d i s tin c t g e n e ric form
from Mur<Eua.
L e n g th 3 0 in c h e s . T o a n u s 21 in c h e s . T o g ill-o p en in ff
2-6 in c h e s . - » u &
H a b . S um a tra (S h aw ). N ew B r ita in (C om m e rso u ).
I c h t h y o p h i s t ig r in u s . L e s so n .
Tchthtjophis tigrbius. Lesson, Voy. de la Coquille, pi. 12.
A ll th e te e lh s le n d e rly .subulate , r a lh e r ta ll a n d th in ly
se t. N a s a l o n e s u n is e ria l, a b o u t tw e lv e on th e m a rg in .
Tw o rows o f th r e e e a c h o n th e d isk . V om e rin e te e th s ix
o r s ev en , u n is e r ia l, w ith tw o a b r e a s t a t th e com ra c n c em e n t
o f th e s e n e s . P a la tin e te e th b i s e r i a l ; th e o u te r se rie s o f
twe lve m o re re flex te e th ; th e in n e r s e rie s o f s ix o r seven
ta lle r one s. O n th e a n te r io r th ird o f th e m a n d ib le th e
le e lh a re b is e r ia l, th e in n e r row b e in g com p o s e d on e a ch
hm b o f s ix o r sev en ta lle r o n e s . L a te r a l m a n d ib u la r te e th
lik e th e o u te r row o f p a la tin e s .
E y e sm a ll. A n te r io r n o s trils tu b u la r. P o s te r io r one s
in ju re d . G ill-o p e n in g n e a r e r to th e d o rs a l th a n to th e
v e n tra l su rfa c e . B o d y n e a r ly c y lin d r ic a l, d e s titu te o f a
lo o se d o rs a l fo ld . T a i l a little c om p re s s e d a t th e tip ,
w h ic h ta p e r s , b u t is b lu n tis h . N o v e s tig e o f a fin e x te rio
rly .
L e n g th 2 9 in c h e s . T o a n u s 19'5 in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n in
g 1-85 in c h . ^
T h e gi-eat le n g th o f th is fish in p ro p o rtio n to its d iam e te
r , i t s c y lin d r ic a l form, a n d th e w a n t o f fins, giv e i t a
c h a r a c te r d is tin c t from th e Murcena;, a n d from th e G ym n o -
murcena: o f L a c e p e d e , w h ic h a re com p re s s ed .
H a b . “ O u a la n .”
N e t t a s t o m a v it t a t a . R ic h a rd s o n .
Tchihyopkis vittatus, Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Sulphur, p. 114,
pi. 53j f. 7- 9. J P . 1 .
S in c e I d e s c r ib e d th is sp e c ie s , in th e w o rk ab o v e q u o te d ,
from a d r ie d sk in , s a id to h a v e b e e n b ro u g h t from C h in a ,
I h a v e e x am in e d a sp e c im e n in s p ir its in th e B r itis h M u s
eum , w h ich is la b e lle d a s h a v in g b e en b ro u g h t from th e
W e s t In d ie s , a n d p u r c h a s e d o f a d e a le r. I h a v e a lso h a d
a u o p p o r tu n ity o f in s p e c tin g a n e x am p le o f th e I c ltih y o -
p h U tig r in u s o f L e s so n , p r e s e rv e d in th e s am e c o lle c tio n ,
a n d fin d th a t i t d ifle rs to ta lly in its d e n titio n from th e
p r e s e n t sp e c ie s , so th a t in a n y d ism em b e rm e n t o f th e g en u s
M u rc en a th e y m u s t .b e p la c e d iu w id e ly d iffe ren t g ro u p s .
1 h a v e now re fe rre d i t to R a fiu e sq u e ’s g e n u s N e tta s to n u i
(D u c k -m o u th ), o n a c c o u n t o f th e s im ila rity o f its d en titio n
to th a t o f saga, th o u g h I h a v e n o t h a d a u o p p o r tu n ity
o f s e e in g th e l a tte r sp e c ie s , w h ic h differs from v i t ta ta in
h a v in g c o n sp ic u o u s fin s , a n d m ay p ro v e on ex am in a tio n
to b e a d i s tin c t form, in w liich c a s e th e a p p e lla tio n o f
Ch a n n o -m u rc cn a v i t ta ta m a y b e g iven to th is o n e , its very
la rg e m o u th d is tin g u is h in g i t o b v io u s ly from tho M u ræ noe .-
I t h a s fo u r la rg e d o u b le - le a v e d g ills en c lo s ed in a sa ck
o n e a c h s id e , a n d c om m u n ic a tin g with th e p h a ry n x b y five
ro u n d o p en in g s . T h e r e is u o h a lf-g ill a d h e r e n t to th e sid e
o f th e s a ck . T h e h e a r t is s itu a te d r a th e r b e liin d th e g ill-
o p e n in g s , a n d a t a c o n s id e r a b le d is ta n c e from th e g ills,
a n d is tie d to th e p e ric a rd ium b y m an y te n d in o u s th re a d s .
T h e r e is n o to n g u e , b u t th e u n d e r m a rg in o f th e g u lle t
fo rm s a p ro je c tin g so ft fo ld , w h ic h fa lls b a c k ov e r th e oe so p
h a g u s lik e a v a lv e . P h a ry n g e a ls p r e s e n tin g tw o lin e a r
d e n ta l su rfa c e s ab o v e a u d b e low , w id e ly s e p a ra te d from
e a c h o th e r, a n d s e t with tw o row s o f a c u te re flex te e th .
All th e te e th on th e jaw s a re s le n d e rly su b u la te , a n d are
d isp o s e d in ev en c a rd - lik e p la te s . ' O n th e p a la tin e s th e y
a re a b o u t four row s wide, j u s t b e h in d th e ey e s, b u t th in off
to th r e e rows tow a rd s th e e x tr em itie s o f th e s e b o n e s . On
th e lowe r j aw th e d e n ta l su rfa c e is b ro a d e s t n e a r th e sym p
h y s is , wh e re th e re a re th r e e row s o f te e th , b u t th e r e are
o n ly two row s m o re p o s te rio rly , w h ich e n d in a p o in t a t
th e c om e r o f th e m o u th . T h e n a s a l a n d vom e rin e te e th
a re n o t s e p a r a te d , o r p e rh a p s th e l a tte r do n o t e x is t, in
wh ich c a se llie n a s a l d e n ta l p la te is b ro a d ly o va l, a n d com p
o s e d a n te r io r ly o f a b o u t s ix row s in th e wid th , b u t p o s te rio
rly c o n tr a c ts to two row s , w h ich m e e t in a p o in t a little
b e h in d th e eye. T h e c a p a c io u s ro o f o f th e m o u th is lin e d
with sm o o th sk in . T h e c o rn e rs o f th e m o u th e x te n d as
fa r b e h in d th e o c c ip u t as th a t is d is ta n t from th e tip o f th e
sn o u t. T h o sm a ll ey e is s itu a te d o v e r th e fore p a r t o f th e
g a p e . T h e a n te r io r n o s trils a re In b u la r, ancl th e p o s te rio r
o n e s h a v e r a is e d b o rd e rs , a n d a re p la c e d ab o v e a n d ju s t
be fo re th e eyes.
T h e h e a d is d e p re s s e d , th e n o s e a c u te , a n d tho m an d ib le
lo n g e r th a n th e s u o u t: its lim b s a re c a p a b le o f s e p a r
a tin g w id e ly , a n d , ow in g to th e ir le n g ih , o f b e in g g re a tly
d e p r e s s e d , so a s to e x p a n d th e m o u th e n o rm o u s ly . T h e
g ill-o p e n in g s a re r a th e r be low m id -h e ig h t, a n d fa r b e h in d
th e sk u ll. T h e b o d y is n e a r ly c y lin d r ic a l, w ith o u t a n y
ap p e a r a n c e o f th e lo o s e d o rsa l fo ld wh ich c o n ta in s th e fin-
r a y s in th e M u ræ noe ; b u t b e h in d th e a n u s th e ta il is som e w
h a t c om p re s s e d , b e c om in g th in n e r tow a rd s th e tip . R a y s
a c tu a lly e x i s t n e a r th e e n d o f th e ta il, b u t th e y c a n be
se e n o n ly b y d is s e c tio n , a n d I c o u ld n o t a s c e r ta in how far
foi-ward th e y e x te n d w ith o u t in ju r in g th e sp e c im en . T h e
a n u s is in th e p o s te r io r th ird o f th e fish. T h o sk in is
lo o s e ly a t ta c h e d to th e m u s c u la r fascia.
G ro u n d c o lo u r (in sp irits) b row n , th e d a rk n e s s o f th e
tin t b e in g p ro d u c e d b y s h o r t o b lo n g sp e ck s . T h e b o d y is
c ro ssed b y a b o u t s ix te e n p a le r in g s , o c c u p y in g n e a r ly as
m uch sp a c e a s th e d a rk c o lo u r. T h e r in g s a re n o t a ll
com ple te . , _
L e n g th 28 in c h e s . T o a n u s 18 in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n -
ing 4 '3 in c h e s .
T h i s is th e d e s c r ip tio n o f th e B r itis h M u s e um s p e c im e n
p re s e rv ed in sp irits . T h e d r ie d o n e fig u red in th e Z o o lo g y
o f th e S u lp h u r h a s r a th e r w id e r d e n ta l p la te s , ow in g p ro b
a b ly to its g r e a te r ag e . I t m e a su re d 4 8 ^ in c h e s .
H ab. G u l f o f M e x ic o ? S e a o f C h in a ?
I h a v e h a d n o o p p o r tu n ity o f e x am in in g th e sk e le to n s o f
th e O p h is u r i, n o r o f c om p a r in g th e v is c e ra o f th e diffe ren t
groups, a n d c a n n o t th e re fo re e n um e r a te th e p r in c ip a l c h a ra
c te ris tic s o f tlie g e u u s , a s I d id w ith th e Murcena; in
page 78, b u t I h a v e g iv en s h o r t d e s c r ip tio n s o f th e e x te r na
l c h a r a c te r s o f a ll th e s p e c ie s th a t h a v e com e u n d e r my
notic e .
M. V a le n c ie n n e s c h a ra c te ris e s th e g e n u s b y th e e lo n g
a ted c y lin d ric a l b o d y ta p e r in g tow a rd s th e ta il, c lo th e d
with n a k e d sk in , d e s titu te o f s c a le s ; th e m o d e r a te g a p e ;
com p re ssed k n ife -lik e [d en te s c u l t r n t i) te e th , o r ro u n d e d
o btuse o n e s ; th e d o r s a l re a c h in g from th e o c c ip u t to th e
n ak ed c o n ic a l p o in t o f th e t a i l ; th e a n a l lik e to it , b u t
sh o r te r ; th e p e c to r a l fin s m o re o r le s s fla b c lla te ; th e g ill-
rays th ir ty in n um b e r . C u v ie r d iv id e s th e s p e c ie s in to two
g ro u p s ; o n e h a v in g p e c to r a ls o f th e o rd in a ry s iz e , a n d
s h a rp a n d t r e n c h a n t t e e th ; th e o th e r h a v in g p e c to r a ls e x c
e ed in g ly sm a ll, so m u ch so a s to h a v e b e e n o v e rlo o k ed b y
some o b s e rv e rs a lto g e th e r , a n d o b tu s e te e th . T h e d is c o v
ery o f a d d itio n a l s p e c ie s s in c e th e p u b lic a tio n o f th e
R eg n e A n im a l h a s re n d e r e d th is su b d iv is io n le s s e x a c t, for
th e Oph. ca n c r iv o ru s p r e s e n ts th e c om b in a tio n o f p r e tty
la rg e p e c to r a ls with o b tu s e te e th ; a n d w e s h a ll a lso
de sc rib e s p e c ie s th a t h a v e a lm o s t ru d im e n ta ry p e c to r a ls
w ith a c u te te e th . In fa c t, th e g r a d a tio n from a c u te or
a c ic u la r te e th to sm a ll ro u n d e d g rin d in g o n e s is a lm o s t
im p e rc e p tib le , a n d th e r e is a s im ila r p a s s a g e from th e la rg e
to th e m in u te p e c to r a ls . I h a v e s e e n n o sp e c ie s w ith
te e th so tr e n c h a n t a s th e s tile tto -p o in te d te e th o f som e o f
th e Murcence, — c e n n in ly n o n e m e r itin g th e d e s ig n a tio n of
d ente s c u ltr a ti. T h e fo llow in g a rtific ia l a r ra n g em e n t,
founded o n th e d e n titio n a n d s iz e o f th e p e c to r a ls , m a y b e
u se ful to th e s tu d e n t iu tb e d is c rim in a tio n o f sp e c ie s .
A. T e e th s h o r t, c o n ic , m o re o r le s s b lu n t.
a. P e c to ra ls com p a ra tiv e ly large .
T e e th tv ise ria l o r p lu ris e ria l on th e s ev e ra l b o n e s .
O. c a ttc r ic o ru s ; s in e n s is ; s em ic in c tu s ; horo.
b . P e c to ra ls sm a ll o r r u d im e n ta r y .
1. V om e rin e le e lh tr i- o r p lu r i s e r i a l ; p a la tin e a n d m a n d
ib u la r te e th b is e ria l.
O. h r e v ic e p s ; p a r d a lis .
2 . V om e rin e te e th b i s e r i a l ; p a la tin e te e th u n i s e r i a l ;
m a n d ib u la r te e th u n is e ria l o r su b -b is e r ia l.
O. f a s c i a t u s ; c o lu h r in u s .
B . T e e th a c u te , c o n ic o - su b u la te , s u b u la te o r a c ic u la r.
a . P e c to ra ls sm a ll a n d d e lic a te , m o d e ra te s iz e d
or rather)-large.
1. V om e rin e te e th tr is e r ia l ; p a la tin e a n d m a n d ib u la r
te e th b is e ria l.
O. p a lle n s .
2. V om e rin e te e th b i s e r i a l ; p a la tin e a n d m a n d ib u la r
te e th b is e ria l.
O. h i ja la ; m a c u lo su s ; in te r tin c tu s .
3. V om e rin e te e lh su b -b is e r ia l o r u n i s e r ia l ; p a la tin e
a n d m a n d ib u la r te e th u n is e ria l.
O. sp a d ic e u s ; v e rsicolor.
4. V om e rin e te e lh u n i s e r i a l ; p a la tin e a n d m a n d ib u la r
te e th b is e ria l
O. s u q i l la lu s ; o c e lla lits ; p a r i h s ; d ic e llu r u s ; roste
lla tu s . • • 1
5. V om e rin e le e lh u n i s e r ia l ; p a la t in e te e th u u i s e n a l ;
m a n d ib u la r te e lh b is e ria l.
O. com par.
e . V om e rin e te e th u n i s e r i a l ; p a la tin e te e th b i s e n a l ;
m a n d ib u la r te e th u n is e ria l.
0 . reg iu s ( v e l o p h is ( J ; s e rpens.
b . P e c to ra ls m in u te , n o v e r tic a l J in s .
T e e th on th e s ev e ra l b o n e s u n is e ria l.
O. v im in e u s .
O ls .— O p h is u r u s ca n c r iv o ru s , hre v ic eps, c om p a r a n d
p a r i l i s , h a v e a c le s e e x te rn a l r e s em b la n c e , a n d m a y b e
c o n fo u n d e d i f a tte n tio n b e n o t p a id to th e d e n titio n , a n d
som e o th e r c om p a ra tiv e c h a r a c te r s in c lu d e d in th e d e s c n p -
tio n s . Ill lik e m a n n e r , th e r e is a g e n e ra l s im ila rity n i th e
m a rk in g s o f s em ic in c tu s , p a r d a lis , m a c u lo su s , in ie r l in c iu s
a n d su g illaU is. O. h a ra n c h a , p a lle n s , s p a d ic e u s , v e rsico lo r
a n d h ija la , form a sm a ll g ro u p , o f a p e c u lia r a s p e c t, w h ich
b e lo n g s to I n d ia a n d C b in a . O. f a s c ia tu s a u d c o lu b r in u s
a re rem a rk a b le fo r th e le n g ih o f th e ir lo n g , c om p re s s ed
b a n d e d b o d ie s ; v e r s ico lo r , w h ic h is a lso b a n d e d , is m o re
c y lin d r ic a l; a n d se rp en s a n d r e g in s , a g re e in g m th e
n a c ry lu s tr e o f th e ir b o d ie s , d iffe r from o n e a n o th e r a n d
from a ll th e r e s t in th e fo rm s o f th e ir la te r a lly e x p a n s ib le
iaws. O. v im in e u s d iffe rs from th e o th e r sp e c ie s m th e a b s
e n c e o f v e rtic a l fins, j u s t a s th e I c h th y o p h is o f L e s so n
d o e s from th e Murcence.
O p h is u r u s c a n c r iv o r u s . R ic h a rd so n .
P la te L ., figs. G— 9.
N a s a l d isk c ir c u la r , a rm e d w ith a b o u t fifte en c row d e d ,
ro u n d r a th e r fla t-c row n e d te e th , o f d iffe ren t s iz e s , s e p a r
a te d from th e d e n ta l su rfa c e o f Uie v om e r b y a mem--
b r a n o u s lin e . T h e v om e rin e te e th s ta n d a b o u t five a b r e a s t
th ro u g h o u t, b u t th e a n te r io r p a r t o f th e d e n ta l b a n d , b e in g
com p o s ed o f la rg e r te e lh , is w id e r. T h e sw e llin g fo ld s o f