ib o e n d o f th e s n o u t, a n d h a l f a d iam e te r from th e c o rn e r
o f t h e m o u th . L a te r a l lin e a s e rie s o f s h o r t lu b e s , e a ch
h a v in g a p o ro u s m o u tb p o s te rio rly , a n d b e n e a th a n o b lo n g
m a rk . I 'l ie g ill- r a y s a re s e v e n te e n , a n d th e d o rs a l c om m
e n c e s ov e r th e g ill-o p e n in g .
L e n g ih 27 in c h e s . T o a n u s 1 3 '5 in c h e s . L e n g th o f
ric tu s o f m o u th 3 '5 in c h e s .
A d rie d sk in p re s e rv e d in B r itis h M u seum .
H au . U n k n ow n .
W e m u s t re fe r to D r. M e C le lla n d ’s a b le p a p e r so often
q u o te d fo r th e In d ia n s p e c ie s o f M urc en e so x , o f w h ic h he
d e s c r ib e s s ix sp e c ie s , v iz ., M . i r ic u s p id a ia , ab o v e n o tic e d ;
M . la n c e o la la , w h ich h a s b is e ria l m a n d ib u la r te e lh , and
Ih e v om e rin e te e lh w ilh a s in g le la n c e o la te cu sp , th e la te ra l
c u sp s b e in g a b s e n t, o r a t le a s t o b s o le te ; A!. e xo d enU ita ,
w ith tr is e r ia l m a n d ib u la r te e th , th e p o in ts o f th e e x te r io r
row d ir e c te d h o r iz o n ta lly o u tw a rd s ; M . s e r r id e n ia ia , d is tin
g u is h e d b y s en -a ted v om e rin e te e th . D r. M c C le lla n d
c o n s id e rs th is s p e c ie s to b e th e O p h id ium ta ln b o n o f
R u s s e ll (38) ; a n d am o n g I la rdw ic k e ’s d raw in g s o f In d ia n
fish , p r e s e rv e d in th e B r itis li M u s e um (N o . 2 9 2 ), I find
o n e m a rk e d C o n g ru s ta la b o n (G ray ), wilh a re fe ren c e to
R u s s e ll, w h ic h sh ow s th e d o rs a l c om m e n c in g fa r b e fo re th e
g ill-o p e n in g , a n d a ta p e r in g p o in te d ta il. I ts c o lo u r is
d a rk e n e d b y m in u te c row d ed b la c k d o ts . N o . 294 in th e
s am e c o lle c tio n o f d raw in g s is n am e d th e “ J a n g le co n g e r,”
a n d is o f a p a le g r e e n ish a n d s ilv e rv h u e . I t s ra y s a re
s ta te d to b e B r. 7, D . 133 ; A. 108, C. 24 = 270. A n en-
la rg e d sk e tc h o f th e jaw s in fig u re 296 shows it to b e a
M iir ic n e so x , p ro b a b ly a llie d to c u r v id e n s . T h e C h in e s e
C o n g ru s fa s c ia tu s o f G ra y ( R ic h a rd s o n ’s R e p o r t o n
th e I c h th . o f C h in a ) is fig u re d in N o s . 291 a n d 2 9 3 o f th e
s am e co lle c tio n . I t h a s a n o c h re -y e llow g ro u n d , b u t w ith
ir r e g u la r p u rp lis h -b la c k b lo tc h e s d e s c e n d in g from th e d o r s
a l fin to th e m id d le o f th e s id e s , s ev e ra l o f th em e n c
lo s in g sp o ts o f th e g ro u n d c o lo u r. T h e to p o f th e h e a d
is b la c k , w ith th re e d a rk s p o ts on th e h in d h e a d . T h e
c h e e k s , u n d e r su rfa c e o f th e h e a d a n d th e a n a l, h a v e th e
b r ig h t o c h ra c e o u s g ro u n d tin t, th e fin b e in g e d g e d with
b la c k . T h e d o rs a l a n d p e c to ra ls a re m o u n ta in -g re e n . I
h a v e .seen n o sp e c im e n o f th is fish.
S in c e th is sh e e t was s e t n p in ty p e th e fifte en th d e c a d e
o f ih e F a u n a .Ja p ó n ic a , c o n ta in in g th e C o n g e rs , h a s r e a c h e d
me . M. S ch le g e l e n n r a e ia tc s C o n g ru s v u lg a r is am o n g th e
J a p a n e s e fish, b u t s a y s , a t th e same tim e , t h a t h a v in g on ly a
d r ie d sp e c im e n lo ju d g e from h e c a n n o t b e c e rta in o f its a b so
lu te sp e c ific id e n tity w ith th e com m o n c o n g e r o f E u ro p e .
T h e n e x t sp e c ie s , C o n g ru s ana g o , PL cx iii, fig. 1, d iffe rs in
a s ])e c t from a n y th a t we h a v e d e s c r ib e d , a n d is co n s id e re d
by M. S c h le g e l a s th e a n a lo g u e o r re p r e s e n ta tiv e o f th e
M u ræ n a b a le a r ic a o f D e lav o ch e , A n n . d u M u s é e , lom e 1-3,
p . 3 2 7 , PL 2 0 , fig. 3. C o n g ru s h am o b e lo n g s lo D r.
M e C le lla n d ’s g e n u s M v ræ n e s o x , a n d se em s lo b e id e n tic a l
w ith a c o n g e r in th e B r itis h M u s eum , w h ich was d is co v e red
in th e P h ilip p in e s b y M r. C um in g . I h a d g iv en th is sp e c
im en a p ro v is io n a l sp e c ific a p p e lla tio n , w h ic h I have
c h a n g e d for h am o s in c e th e fo rtu n a te a rriv a l o f th e d e c a d e
o f t h e F a u n a J a p ó n ic a be fore th e sh e e t was p r in te d off.
M . S ch le g e l s ta le s th a t th e iu la b o n is th e com m o n s p e c ie s o f
th e e q u a to r ia l s e a s , a n d m e n tio n s th e S tr a its o f S u n d a as
o n e o f its h a b ita ts , b u t n o n e o f th e s p e c im e n s from th e
M a la y A rc h ip e la g o w h ic h I h a v e se e n sh ow th e c h a r a c te r is
tic s e r r a tu r e s o f th e te e lh w h ic h h a v e b e e n n o tic e d b y
D r. M e C le lla n d , w h o s e e x c e lle n t o p p o r tu n itie s for s tu d y in
g th e fish d e s c r ib e d b y R u s s e ll a n d B u c h a n a n -H am ilto n
give g r e a t w e ig h t lo h is a u th o r ity in th e d e te rm in a tio n o f
th e i r sp e c ie s .
A s to Co n g e r u ro lo p h u s a n d C. u ro p te ru s o f t h e F a u n a
J a p ó n ic a , th e y a re ev id e n tly O p h is u r i, h a v in g th e n a k e d
l ip o f th e ta il, th e lo b e d u p p e r lip, form o f th e g ajie, a n d
c om p a ra tiv e ly sm a ll ey e , w h ic h d is tin g u ish th e O p h isu r i
from th e C o n g r i; a n d 1 d o u b t n o t b u t d is s e c tio n w o u ld
sh ow th e n um e ro u s h a ir - lik e g ill-ra y s o f th e g en u s . O p h isu
ru s u ro lo p h u s se em s lo b e d i s tin c t from a n y th a t we
h av e d e s c r ib e d , b u t O. u ro p te ru s is p e rh a p s id e n tic a l w ith
O. s in e n s is o f th is w o rk , p . 98. O. p o r p h y r u s is q u ite d is tin
c t from an y sp e c ie s in th e B r itis h M u s eum , a u d i t a p p
e a r s to h a v e sm a ll te e th on th e e n io p te ry g o id ,* a s w e ll as
on th e usu a l d e n tife ro u s b o n e s , for so I u n d e r s ta n d M.
S ch le g e l w h en h e s a y s “ II e x is te d e s d e n ts d a n s I’in te r-
m a x illa ir e , d a n s le s m â c h o ire s , d a n s le vom e r, e t d a n s les
p a la t in s , e t e lle s s o n t d a n s to u s c e s os d is tr ib u é su r u n
s e u le r an g é e ; p o in tu e s , u n p e u c om p rim é e s e t u n p e u d ir ig
é e s en a rriè re . C e lle s d e s d e u x tie rs a n té r ie u r s d u v om c r
so n t a u n om b re d e tro is , e t a s s e z v ig o u reu s e s e t g ran d e s ,
le u r la rg u e u r é g a la n t le d iam è tre d e l’oe il ; c e lle s de d e u x
tie r s a n té r ie u r s d e la m â c h o ire in fé rie u re so n t au n om b re
d e tro is à q u a tr e , e t de p lu s d e m o itié p in s p e tite s q u e ces
g ran d e s d e n ts v om é r ie u s e s ; le s d e n ts d e s a u tre s p a rtie s
so n t p lu s p e tite s e n co re , e t p e u s e rré e s .”
M u roe n a Icidako, p . 2 6 6 , P l. cx v ii., a n d M . a lb im n r y i-
n a ta , p. 267, P L cx v iii., d i/le r from a n y th a t w e b a v e
d e s c rib e d ; b u t it is p ro b a b le th a t M . p a r d a l i s will p ro v e
lo b e m e re ly th e a d u lt o f M . p a v o n in a , p . 9 0 (I c h th . o f
Yoy. o f S u lp h u r , p . 110, PL 53, f. 1— 6), a n d a lso th e
“ c a lam a ia p a w n " o f R u s s e l], x x x ii., a n d p e rh a p s th e
3 Í . p u n c ta ta o f S c h n e id e r, th o u g h th e r e a re some d iffe re
n c e s in th e fig u re s a n d d e s c rip tio n s to re c o n c ile . T h e
fig u re in th e F a u n a J a p ó n ic a w a n ts th e e lo n g a te d tu b u la r
p o re s on th e p o in ts o f th e sn o u t a n d m a n d ib le ,w h ic h w e re
c o n sp ic u o u s iu o u r sm a lle r sp e c im en .
A n g u il l a a u s t r a l is . R ic h a rd so n .
Anguilla australis, Ricliardsoi), Zool. Tv.aas. iii. p. 167.
P la te X L V ., figs. 1 — 5.
T h is ee l is p ro p o rtio n a lly a m ore s le n d e r sp e c ie s th a n
labrosa, a n d its lip s , w h ic h liavc th e sam e s tru c tu r e , arc
le s s th ic k a n d la rg e . I t s p ro file is d e p re s s e d o r slig h tly
co n c av e b e fo re th e ey e , a n d its s n o u t ro u n d e d a t th e end.
T h e ey e is m o d e ra te ly la rg e for an A n g u illa , a n d is p la c e d
ov e r th e an g le o f t h e m o u th . T h e a n u s is be fore th e m id-
■* That is, if this bone exists in the genus, whicli T do not know for
cei tain, as 1 have not seen a skeleton of an Ophisurus.
die o f th e fish , a n d th e d is ta n c e b e tw e e n i t a n d th e g ill-
o p e n in g fa lls a l ittle s h o r t o f o n e - th ird o f th e wh o le le n g th
o f th e fish. T h e d o rs a l c om m en c e s a b o u t th e e ig h th of a n
in ch b e fo re th e v e n t in th e sp e c im e n h e re d e s c rib e d , wh ich
is eq u a l to a fifth o r s ix th p a r t o f t h e v e rtic a l h e ig h t th e re .
I n th e figure (P la te X L V .) , ow in g to th e b e n d g iv en to th e
b o d y b y th e a r tis t, th e d o rs a l a p p e a r s lo com e f a r th e r fo rward
th a n i t a c tu a lly d o e s . T h e whole in te g um e n t o f th e
b o d y , fins a n d h e a d , is c o v e re d w ith m in u te d e lic a te sc a le s,
a rra n g e d in th e sam e le ltic e -w o rk w ay a s in la b ro sa , th e
in d iv id u a l s c a le s b e in g o b lo n g , ova l a n d m o re o b tu s e a t
one e n d , b u t u o t ta p e r in g so m u c h tow a rd s th e a p e x a s in
th a t sp e c ie s . U n d e r th e m ic ro s c o p e th e s c a le s a p p e a r
to h e e n tir e a t th e ed g e s , a n d th e ir d isk s show c o n c e n tric
rows o f c e lls . T h e la te r a l lin e is a c o n tin u e d p o ro u s
lu b e , a n d is co n sp ic u o u s en o u g h from th e g ill-o p e n in g
to th e e n d o f th e ta il. T h e whole sk in is p e rfo ra te d b y
in n um e ra b le m in u te r a is e d p o re s , w h ich a re p a rtic u la rly
co n sp icu o u s o n th e in s id e o f t h e u p p e r lip , th e to n g u e
an d ro o f o f th e m o u th , lo o k in g th ro u g h a le n s h k e vilh.
T h e p o re s o f th e u p p e r lip te rm in a te n e a r th e te e lh b y a
w e ll-de fined lin e , w h ic h a p p e a r s a s i f frin g e d b y them .
T h e d e n ta l su rfa c e s o f th e s ev e ra l b o n e s a re slig h tly c o n v ex ,
an d s e t d e n s e ly in a v illiform m a n n e r with sh o r t, sle n d e r,
cy lin d ric a l, a c u te te e lh , n o t r a n g e d in d e fin ite rows. _ I h e
d en ia l p la te s a re b ro a d e s t a t th e sym p h y s e s o f th e jaw s ,
and ta p e r g r a d u a lly tow a rd s th e co rn e rs o f th e m o u th , b u t
n o t so m u c h a s r e p r e s e n te d in fig u re s 3 a n d 4 , n o r do th e y
en d so a c u te ly . T h e p a la tin e b o n e s flan k th e n a s a l bo n e
lo th e ed g e o f th e sn o u t, b u t, ow in g to th e ir la te r a l p o s itio n
a n d th e ro u n d e d fo rm o f t h e s n o u t, th e y d o n o t ru n q u ite
so far forwa rd a s th e e n d o f th e n a s a l b o n e . T h e low e r
jaw is s lig h tly lo n g e r th a n th e u p p e r o ne . P e c to r a l smaB.
L e n g th o f th e T a sm a n ia n sp e c im e n , w h ic h i s fig u re d in
P la te X L V ., 1 7 j in c h e s . T o a n u s 7 ^ in c h e s . T o g ill-
o p en in g 2 in c h e s . A n o th e r sp e c im e n , from A u c k la n d
Is lan d s , m e a su re s 19 in c h e s . T o a n u s 8 '6 in c h e s . T o
g ill-o p en in g 2 ‘4 in c h e s . A n d o n e from N ew Z e a la n d ,
w h ich w a s p r e s e n te d to th e B r itis h M u s e um b y D r . S in c
la ir, C o lo n ia l S e c r e ta ry , m e a su re s 18 in c h e s in le n g th ,
8-2 in c h e s to th e an u s , a n d 2-3 in c h e s to th e g ill-o p enm g .
T h is e x am p le is p ro p o r tio n a lly th ic k e r in th e b o d y , a n d its
dorsa l c om m en c e s h a l f a n in c h b e fo re th e a n u s , w h ic h is
fa rth e r forwa rd th a n in th e o th e rs . I t s e y e s a re n o t sym-
metvically p la c e d , th e le ft o ne b e in g ov e r th e c o rn e r o f th e
m o u th , a n d th e r ig h t o n e a little f a r th e r forwa rd, b u t its
d e n titio n c o r r e sp o n d s with a u s tr a lis , a n d I c an d e te c t no
specific d iffe ren c e s.
H ab. T a sm a n ia . N ew Z e a la n d A u c k la n d I s la n d s .
A n g u il l a d i e f f e n b a c h i i . G ray .
Anguilla dieffenbachii, J . E. Gray, Dieffeiiliacli’s Travels in New
Zealaud. Append, p. 225.
T h is ee l h a s a la rg e r p e c to r a l th a n a u s tr a lis , a n d its
do rsa l b e g in s a n in c h b e fo re th e a n u s jn a sp e c im en
17 in c h e s lo n g , b u t, o n e x am in in g th e in d iv id u a l c o n ta in e d
in th e B r itis h M u s e um , I d e te c te d n o o th e r d iffe re n c e b e tw
e e n i t a n d a u s tra lis .
A n g u il l a a u c k l a n d i i . R ic h a rd s o n .
P la te X L V ., figs. 7— 13.
I n th is s p e c ie s th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y , a n d e sp e c ia lly o f
th e ta il, is g r e a te r th a n in a u s tr a lis ; a n d th e e n d o f th e
ta il w ith th e fin s sp r e a d o u t is m o re ro u n d e d , th e lip s a re
le s s p o ro u s , a n d th e to n g u e m o re p o in te d . T h e te e th a lso
a re d isp o s e d in n a rrow e r b a n d s , a n d th e v om e rin e p a tc h
ta p e r s m o re a n d ru n s f a r th e r b a c k . T h e m o s t ta n g ib le
d iffe ren c e , h ow e v e r, is in th e o r ig in o f th e d o rs a l, w h ich is
co n s id e r a b ly fa r th e r fo rw a rd . T h e e y e a lso is p la c e d
r a th e r b e fo re th e c o rn e r o f t h e m o u th , n o t o v e r it. T h e
p ro file o f t h e fo re h e a d is m o re co n c av e , a n d th e tw o jaw s
a re m o re n e a r ly e q u a l in le n g th .
L e n g th o f t h e fish 2 0 in c h e s . T o a n u s 9 in c h e s . i o
g ill-o p e n in g 2 |- in c h e s . T o b e g in n in g o f d o rs a l 6 '8 in c h e s .
D is ta n c e b e tw e e n g ill-o p e n in g a n d a n u s 6 j in c h e s . T h e
d o rs a l b e g in s b e fo re t h e a n u s a lm o s t 2 in c h e s , o r 4 j in c h e s
p o s te r io r to th e g ill-o p e n in g .
H a b . A u c k la n d Is la n d s .
A n g u il l a la b r o sa . R ic h a rd so n .
T h e e e l d e s c r ib e d b e low w a s ta k e n b y K . L . S u th e r la n d ,
E s q ., P a ym a s te r a n d P u r s e r o f th e ‘ N o r th S ta r,’ in th e
S o u th S e a s , b u t th e e x a c t lo c a lity is n o t r e c o rd e d , a n d we
do n o t k n ow w h e th e r i t b e a f r e sh -w a te r o r m a r in e fish.
I t h a s th e g en e ra l a s p e c t o f a n e e l, a n d a lso th e c o n s p ic u o
u s te s s e lla te d s c a le s w h ic h m a n y o f th e tru e A n g u illa :
p o s s e s s ; b u t its d o rs a l, com m e n c in g r a th e r n e a r e r lo th e
g ill-o p e n in g th a n to th e an u s , e x c ite s a d o u b t a s to
w h e th e r i t o u g h t n o t lo b e c la s s e d w ith th e C o n g e rs , wh ich
a re a rtific ia lly s e p a r a te d from th e A n g u illa : by th e more
a n te r io r c om m e n c em e n t o f th e d o rs a l. I n th e n a tu r e o f
th e d e n titio n la b ro sa is a llie d to A n g u illa h r e v iro s lr is o f
M c C le lla n d (C a lc . J o u rn . t. 5, f. I ) , b u t th e fo rm s o f th e
d e n ta l p la te s a re n o t p r e c is e ly th e same.
T h e sk in is c lo th e d th ro u g h o u t, e x c e p t on th e lip s , w ith
na rrow o b lo n g s c a le s , wh ich ta p e r co n s id e ra b ly a t o n e en d ,
b u t a rc u o t a b so lu te ly a cu te . W h e n e x am in e d w ith a m ic
ro s c o p e , th e ir e d g e s a re p e rc e iv e d to b e q u ite e n tir e , a n d
th e ir whole d isk s to b e d e n s e ly s tu d d e d w ith o v a l a n d
ro u n d e d c e lls . I n s i tu th e s c a le s a re r a n g e d in sh o rt
row s, wh ich m e e t e a c h o th e r n e a rly a t r ig h t a n g le s , an d ,
b e in g co v e red w ith a d a rk e r p igm e n t th a n th e d u sk y b row n
in te g um e n t, a re ve ry co n sp ic u o u s , g iv in g a te s s e la te d or
in te rw o v en a p p e a r a n c e to th e s u rfa c e o f th e skin. T h e
s c a le s c o v e r th e fins, a s w e ll a s th e b o d y a n d h e a d . T h e
h e a d is d e p re s s e d , fla tly ro u n d e d o n th e to p , a n d w id e r a t
th e g ill-o p e n in g s th a n i t is h ig h . T h e c om p re s s io n o f th e
b o d y b e g in s im m e d ia te ly b e h in d th e p e c to r a ls , a n d in c
re a se s to th e e n d o f t h e ta il, wh ich , with its in v e s tin g fins,