m a cu lo su s a n d in te r t in c tu s , w h ic h a re s p o tte d in a s im ila r
w a y , h a v e a lso sm a lle r p e c to ra ls .
G a p e o f th e m o u th m o d e r a te ly la rg e , e x c e e d in g o n e
th i r d o f th e d is ta n c e b e tw e e n th e p o in t o f th e s n o u t a n d
th e g ill-o p e n in g , a n d e q u a l to th e g r e a te s t h e ig h t o f th e
b o d y . E y e midway b e tw o eu th e tu b u la r a n te r io r n o s tr ils
a n d a n g le o f th e m o u th , sm a ll. S n o u t n a rrow a n d p ro je c tin g
som e w ay b e y o n d th e n o s tr ils , b u t n o t a c u te . S e c o n d
n a s a l o p e n in g o n th e e d g e o f th e lip , u n d e r th e e y e , w ith th e
u su a l lo b u le ts . L ow e r j aw ro u n d e d a t th e e n d , a v e ry l ittle
s h o r te r th a n th e u p p e r o ne . T h e in te g um e n ts o f th e h e a d ,
a b o v e a n d below, in c lu d in g th e j aw s , th e n e c k , th e th ro a t,
a n d th e b e lly h a lf-w a y to th e a n u s , a re w r in k le d b y s h o r t
fu rrow s , w h ic h fo r th e m o s t p a r t ru n lo n g itu d in a lly a u d
p a r a lle l to e a c h o th e r . T h e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y e q u a ls th e
tw e iily - e ig h th p a r t o f th e w h o le le n g th . T h e p e c to r a l is
m o d e r a te ly la rg e , e q u a llin g in le n g th th e d is ta n c e from th e
p o s te r io r p a r t o f t h e o rb it to th e p o ijit o f th e sn o u t. T h e
d o r s a l c om m e n c e s a s h o r t w ay fa rth ev b a c k th a n th e t ip o f th e
p e c to r a l, a n d te rm in a te s w ith in h a l f a n in c h o f th e a c u te p o in t
o f th e ta il, o p p o s ite lo th e e n d o f th e a n a l, b o th fin s h a v in g
p r e v io u s ly g ra d u a lly low e re d . T h e la te r a l lin e , c o n s is tin g
o f a c o n tin u o u s se rie s o f s h o r t tu b e s w ith p o ro u s o p e n in g s ,
IS c o n sp ic u o u s e n o u g h . T h e jaws a n d n a p e a re c o v e re d with
la rg e b la c k b lo tc h e s , s e p a r a te d b y sm a lle r p a le , p ro b a b ly
y e llow ish , in te rv a ls . T lie n u c h a l b la c k p a tc h d e s c e n d s lik e
a rin g a l i t t le way b e h in d th e m o u th , a n d ru n s forwa rd on
th e u n d e r su rfa c e b e iw e e n th e lim b s o f t h e m a n d ib le , a n d
b a c kw a rd s n e a r ly to th e g ill-o p e n in g . T h e r e is a y e llow ish
p a tc h a t th e c om e r o f t h e m o u th , a n d a n o th e r on th e
s id e o f th e th ro a t. T h e to p o f th e h e a d a n d tem p le s , a n d
th e b a c k a n d s id e s o f t h e n e c k , h a v e a b lu is h -g r a y co lo u r,
w ith m a n y ro u n d b la c k d o ts th e s iz e o f sw a n -sh o t. T h e
b a c k a n d s id e s a r e m a rk e d b y m a n y la rg e b row n ish -b la c k
ro u n d is h o r ova l s p o ts , fi-om th e s iz e o f a c h e s tn u t d ow n to
th a t o f a p e a , ir r e g u la r ly d isp o s e d , b u t with th re e p r in c ip a l
row s , th e m id d le o n e b e in g on th e la te r a l lin e a n d iium -
b e i in g a b o u t tw e n ty -s e v e n s p o ts : th e s e m o s tly a lte rn a te
with th e s e rie s o n th e to p o f t h e b a c k . T !ie s p o ts o n th e
b e lly a re sm a ll a n d d is ta n t. T h e co lo u rs a re d e s c rib e d
from th e d rie d s p e c im e n , a n d h a v e fa d e d on th e fin s , w h ich ,
h ow ev e r, r e ta in tra c e s o f s p o ts.
T e e th r a th e r s to u tly s u b u la te , lo n g ish a n d c o n s id e ra b ly
re c u rv e d . T h e sm a ll a n d n a r row n a s a l d isk is a rm e d b y
five, o n e in fro n t, o n e o n e a c h s id e , a u d tw o in c o n ta c t
w ith th e c om m e n c em e n t o f t h e v om e rin e s e rie s , w h ic h is
s tr ic tly s in g le , a n d c o n ta in s te n o r e lev en la rg e r th a n th e
n a s a l o n e s , a n d m o re re c u rv e d . P a la tin e te e lh b is e ria l,
th e two row s d iffe rin g l ittle in th e s iz e o f th e t e e th , a n d th e
o u te r o n e b e in g le s s c row d e d . T h e r e a re th r e e sm a ll te e th
in a s in g le se rie s b e fo re th e b e g in n in g o f th e two rows, a n d
p e rh a p s som e a lso b e h in d ; b u t th e m o d e in w h ic h th e
s p e c im e n h a s b e e n p r e p a r e d p re v e n ts me from s e e in g d is tin
c tly th e d e n titio n a t th o c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . T h e
m a n d ib u la r te e th a re a lso b is e ria l.
L e n g th 56 in c h e s . T o a n u s 26 in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n in
g 5 ’6 in c h e s . L e n g th o f g a p e 2 in c h e s . H e i g h t o f b o d y
a b o u t 2 in c h e s .
T h e o r ig in o f th e sp e c im e n d e p o s ite d in th e M u s e um a t
H a s l a r is im k n ow ii, b u t it is s u p p o s e d to h a v e com e from
th e W e s t In d ie s .
Ophisurus ocell.itus. L e S u eu r.
M u rannpsis ocellata, Le Sueur, Jouru. Acad. Nat. Sc. of Philadelphia,
V. PI. 4, f. 3.
All th e te e lh s le n d e r ly s u b u la te o r a c ic u la r , e x c e p t th e
fiv e m a rg in a l n a s a l te e th , w h ic h a re s u b u la te a n d a cu te .
Tw e lv e o r fo u rte e n u n is e ria l v om e rin e te e th com m en c e
c lo s e to th e sm a ll n a s a l d isk . P a la tin e te e th b is e ria l, from
e ig h te e n to tw en ty in e a c h ro w ; th e o u te r o u e s in c lin e d to w
a rd s th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th , a c ic u la r , n o t c om in g q u ite
fo rw a rd e n o u g h to m e e t th e v om e rin e te e lh ; in n e r row a
l ittle ta lle r , a n d in c lin e d tow a rd s th e m e s ia l lin e . M a n d ib
u la r te e th a lso b i s e r i a l ; th e in n e r row n o t so ta ll a s th e
o u te r o n e ; b o th rows in c lin e d th e s am e way a s th e c o r r e s
p o n d in g p a la tin e o n e s . G a p e o f th e m o u th p r e tty la rg e ,
a n d th e j aw s p o s s e s s c o n s id e r a b le la te ra l e x te n s ib ility .
S n o u t d e p r e s s e d , b u t w h e n s e e n from a b o v e a p p e a r in g
c o n ic a l a n d a c u te . T h e s h o r t tu b u la r a n te r io r n o s trils
h a v e a v e ry sm a ll a c u te s n o u t p ro je c tin g b e iw e e n them .
U n d e r j a w s h o r te r a n d m o re ro u n d e d a t th e tip . A c o n sp
ic u o u s row o f p o re s o n th e lim b s o f th e m a n d ib le , a n d
m a n y p o r e s o n th e u p p e r lip a n d sn o u t. E y e o v e r th e
m id d le o f th e gap e .
P e c to r a l r a th e r la rg e , la n c e o la te , a n d s u p p o r te d b y s ix te e n
ray s . O th e r fins low th ro u g h o u t. T h e d o rs a l c om m en c e s
ov e r th e tip o f th e p e c to r a l, a n d e n d s , to g e th e r w ith th e
an a l, a b o u t tw o lin e s from th e tip o f th e s le n d e r c o n ic a l
p o iu t o f th e ta il. L a te r a l lin e a ra is e d tu b e , w ith a se rie s
o f p o r e s b e n e a th it. A fine w h ile p o ro u s lin e c ro s s e s th e
o c c ip u t, m a k e s a s u d d e n r e c ta n g u la r fle x u re fo rw a rd s on
th e tem p le s , a n d th e n d e s c e n d s to th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th .
W h e n th e sk in is v iew ed th ro u g h an ey e -g la s s , i t a p p e a r s
to b e fin e ly fun-owed lo n g itu d in a lly , b o th o n th e b a c k a n d
b e lly . T h e g e n e r a l c o lo u r is g ray ish -b row n , which is d u e
to a m u ltitu d e o f m ic ro s c o p ic a l b la c k ish d o ts o n a faw n -
c o lo u re d g ro u n d . T h e b e lly is w h itish . T h e r e a re from
n in e te e n to tw e n ty -o n e ro u n d m ilk -w h ite sp o ts o n th e
la te r a l lin e , a b o u t th e s iz e o f p e a s ; th e first o n e p la c e d
o v e r th e g ill-o p e n in g , a n d five sm a ll w h ite d o ts o n th e to p
o f th e n e c k ov e r th is la te r a l sp o t. A p a le b rown s trip e
ru n s on e a ch s id e o f th e ana l.
L e n g th 13-5 in c h e s . T o a n u s 6'1 in c h e s . T o g ill-
o p e n in g 1-6 in c h . L e n g th o f g a p e 0-65 in c h .
H a b . G u lf o f M e x ic o .
A sp e c im e n e x is ts in th e M u s eum a t H a s la r , a n d th e re
is a n o th e r in th e B r itis h M u seum . A n O p h is u r u s in th e
L e y d e n M u s eum , la b e lle d a s h a v in g b e lo n g e d to “ L ’an c ien
c a b in e t,” is m o s t lik e ly re fe rrib le to th is sp e c ie s . T h e in d
iv id u a l, in th e sam e M u s e um , w h ich is la b e lle d “ Oph.
g u l la tu s o f V a le n c ie n n e s ,” h a s la rg e r w h ite s p o ts a n d a
le s s a c u te t a i l ; b u t 1 w rite from im p e rfe c t r e c o lle c tio n ,
n o t h a v in g m a d e d e s c rip tio n s o r d raw in g s o f th e L e y d e n
fish.
O p h is u r u s p a r il is . R ic h a rd so n .
T e e th s le n d e rly s u b u la te o r a c i c u la r ; th e n a s a l o n e s
sta n d in g o n so n a rrow a d isk a s to a p p e a r c lu s te r e d , w ith a n
odd one in f r o n t ; a b o u t n in e in a ll. V om e rin e te e th b i serial,
m iiiie ro iis. P a la tin e te e th a lso b is e ria l ; b o th th e
rows ev e n a n d p r e tty c lo s e ly s e t ; th o s e o f th e o u te r row
ra lh e r s h o r te r , a n d in c lin e d tow a rd s th e c o rn e r o f th e
m o u th ; th e in n e r o n e s co n s id e ra b ly in c lin e d tow a rd s th e
me sia l lin e , a n d e x te n d in g forwa rds to m e e t th e v om e rin e
se rie s a t its c om m e n c em e n t c lo s e to th e n a s a l d isk . M a n d
ib u la r te e th b is e ria l, e x te n d in g from th e s ym p h y s is to th e
c o rn e r o f th e m o u th ; th e te e th in b o th row s in c lin e d b a c k w
a rd s ; th o s e o f t h e in n e r vow m o re c lo s e ly s e t, a n d even.
P e c to r a l r a lh e r lo n g , e llip tic a l, a cu te . D o r s a l c om m
en c in g ov e r th e p o s te r io r q u a r te r o f th e p e c to r a l, e n d in g
w ith th e a n a l c lo s e lo th e lip o f th e ta il, b o th h a v in g p r e v
iously e x p a n d e d s lig h tly , a n d b e in g low th ro u g h o u t.
L owe r jaw a little sh o r te r th a n th e u p p e r o n e . E y e p la c e d
over th e m id d le o f th e m o u th . C o lo u r a n un ifo rm d u ll
brown, p a le r b e n e a th . ( In sp irits ).
L e n g th 16 in c h e s . T o am is 6-15 in c h e s . T o g ill-o p e n in
g 1-9 in c h . L e n g th o f g a p e Q-8 in ch .
H a b . W e s t In d ie s . S p e c im e n in B r itis h M u seum .
O p h is u r u s d ic e l l u r u s . R ic h a rd so n .
Ot>hisurus dicellurus, Richardson, Ichlli. Voy. of Sulpb. p. 106, PI.
48, f. 2, 3, 4. Report lo Brit. Ass. Ann. 1845, p. 312.
T h e h e a d is a b o u t a s h ig h a s i t is w id e , b u t th e b o d y
be com e s g rad u a lly m o re c om p re s s e d tow a rd s th e ta il.
Sn o u t b lu u tis b , a n d ve ry s lig h tly p a s s in g th e tip o f th e
lower jaw . G ill-o p e n in g s l a x , a n d a p p ro a c h in g n e a r e r
th a n u su a l in th e g en u s to e a c h o th e r b e n e a th . T e e th
slen d e rly s u b u la te , n o t lo n g , in c lin e d b a c kw a rd s . Voiner-
iu e le e lh u n is e ria l, la rg e r, th re e in m im b e r. P a la tin e
te e th b is e ria l. M a n d ib u la r o n e s b is e ria l in fro n t, u n is e ria l
la te ra lly . P e c to r a l o v a te , a c u te , m o d e ra te ly la rg e , s u p p
o r te d ‘b y fo u rte en r a y s : d o rs a l c om m e n c in g o v e r its tip ,
an d k e e p in g a t a n e q u a l h e ig h t u n til n e a r th e e n d o f th e
ta il, w h e re i t lowe rs, a n d th e n d ila te s , so a s to form w ith
th e a n a l, wh ich is s im ila r, a n ova l lo b e , th a t ro u n d s off
a t th e tip o f th e ta il move su d d e n ly th a n i t ris e s . T h e la s t
ray s o f b o th fins a rc very sh o r t, a n d a p p ro a c h a s n e a r as
p o ssib le to th e e x tr em e p o in t o f th e ta il, b n t do n o t go
ro u n d it. T h e c o lo u r h a s fa d e d in sp ir its , a n d i f a n y
ma rk in g s e x is te d th e y a re n o lo n g e r d is c e rn ib le . Latev;il
lin e d is tin c t.
L e n g ih 9-55 in c h e s . T o am is 3 '8 4 in c h e s . T o g d l-
ope iiiiig P 3 2 in c h .
H ab. E s tu a ry .o f th e Y a n g tz e k e a n g , C h in a .
1 h av e n o t se en th e O p h is u r u s r em ig e r o f D ’O rb ig n y ,
which is a W e s t In d ia n sp e c ie s , a n d re s em b le s th is one
m u ch ill th e form o f t h e ta il. (D ’O rb ig u y , Voy. d a n s
rA in ev iq u e m c rid . P I. 12, f. 2).
O p h is u r u s r o s t e l l a t u s . R ic h a rd so n .
T h e sn o u t is n a rrow , b u t ro u n d e d a n d s lig h tly d ila te d a t
th e e n d , e x c e e d in g th e low e r jaw very little . i h e n a s a l
d isk is b o rd e r e d a n te r io r ly b y five sm a ll, su b u la te , a c u te
te e th : a l ittle fa r th e r b a c k , on tb e m e sia l lin e , Ihcve is a
s to u te r to o th , w h ic h is v e ry a c u te , a n d in f ro n t ol i t two
sm a ll s u b u la te o n e s . T h e v om e rin e te e th a re u n is e ria l,
th e row c om m e n c in g b y two ta ll su b u la te te e th lik e m e
m e s ia l v om e rin e o n e , w ith a sm a ll in te rv a l b e iw e e n th em ,
a n d fo llow ed b v sev en c lo s e r s e t, r e c u rv e d , s u b u la te te e th
P a la tin e le e lh ‘b is e r ia l, th e o u te r row b e in g com pose rl ol
a b o u t e ig h te e n w id e ly s e t s u b u la te te e lh , w h ic h a re ta lle s t
n e a r th e m id d le o f th e g a p e , a n d b e com e sh o rte r a n d c lo s e r
n e a r th e c o rn e r o f th e m o u th . T h e in n e r row c o n s is ts ol
tw e n ty - e ig h t m o re s le n d e r a n d very a c u te te e th , m u c h in c
lin e d tow’a rd s th e me sia l lin e a n d a little b a c kw a rd s , ancl
n o t r e a c h in g so fa r p o s te rio rly a s th e o u te r row, b u t g o in g
fo rw a rd s to th e n a s a l disk. M a n d ib u la r te e th b i s e n a l ; th e
o u te r row move w ide ly s e t, ta lle r , a n d r e a c h in g from th e
sym p h y s is to th e a n g le o f th e m o u th ; th e in n e r row re sem
b lin g th e in n e r p a la tin e o n e , b u t co n fin ed to th e love
q u a r te r o f th e jaw , a n d te rm in a tin g o p p o s ite th e c om m
e n c em e n t o f th e o u te r p a la tin e row . T h e jaw s a re n a r row
a n d e x p a n d la te r a lly , lik e th o s e o f in ie r l in c iu s , ancl in a
m u c h le s s d eg re e th a n th o s e o f r eg iu s . T h e e y e s a re p la c e d
in th e m id d le o f th e la rg e g a p e , a n d th e in te rv a l b e tw e en
th em a n d th e to p o f th e h e a d d o e s n o t e x c e e d d ie d iam e te r
o f t h e o rb it. T h e g ill-o p e n in g s a re la rg e . _ T h e p e c to r a l
is ov a l a n d l a r g e ; th e d o rs a l c om m e n c e s j u s t b e h in d its
lip , is n ow h e re h ig h , a n d low e rs g ra d u a lly to w ith in th re e
lin e s o f th e tip o f th e ta il, wh e re i t le n n in a le s . T h e a n a l
en d s two lin e s from th e tip , th e r e b e in g n o p rev io u s e x p
a n s io n o f e ith e r fin. C o lo u r o f th e sp e c im e n k e p i in
sp ir its ch e s tn u t-b row n .
L e n g th 33 in c h e s . T o a n u s 1 4 ‘4 in c h e s . T o g d l-o p e n -
insr 3-50 in c h e s . L e n g th o f g a p e 1 '8 5 in c h .
H ab. S e n e g a l. T h e E a r l o f D e rb y p r e s e n te d a sp e c im
e n to th e B r itis h M u seum .
O p h is u r u s c o m p a r . R ic h a rd so n .
T h e imifoi-ra b row n c o lo u r o f th is sp e c ie s ancl o f th e fo llow
in g o n e , a fte r im m e rs io n in sp irits , a n d th e ir g e n e ra l
form, r e n d e r s th em so lik e O. ca n c r ivo ru s th a t a n e x am in
a tio n o f th e d e n titio n b e c om e s n e c e s s a ry tor th c i r d i s c
rim in a tio n . , , , ,
N a s a l d isk a rm ed with five s h o r t a c u te te e th , th e o d d
one in fro n t. V om e rin e te e th u n is e r ia l, th e row som ew h a t
un e v e n , a n d th e f ro n t p a ir close to th e n a s a l d isk s ta n d in g
a b re a s t Tw en ty -tw o c o n ic o -su b u la te , a c u te , p a la tin e
te e th , ev en a n d c lo se s e t, r a n g e d in a s in g le so iiicw h a t u n d
u la tin g sc rie s. M a n d ib u la r te e th sm a ll a n d low, also
co n ic o -su b u la te a n d a c u te , n um b e r in g iw c n ly -s ix o n e a ch
lim b , u n is e ria l la te r a lly , b is e r ia l in fro n t. T h e m o u tb is
siiial!, th e sn o u t b lu n tis h , a n d th e lo w e r jaw a little sh o rte r.
E y e n e a r e r to th e a n g le o f th e m o u th th a n to th e Up ot