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Show 144 ZOOLOGY OF TilE VOYAGE OF TilE BEAGLE. anttc· a·s bt' - za t e1.a zt· b us . ·•-seriatis • in vomere uni-seriatis; anticis supra subtusque, U1•• ' . . . lateralz·b us secun da 1 .n · ·s sup ra • et vomerinis ' fiortibus : puma dm·salt antzce ob-sole tit. LoJSG. unc. 20. lin. 6. F -V much compressed about the bead andjaws. Body tapering posteriorly; the depth in on:M. ~rydl lli b t one-thirteenth of the entire length. Head, measured to the bran-the m1d e equa ng a ou . . cht· al ort'f i ce, ab out one·sev e r1 tb • Profile falling obliquely in a straight lme from . the nape to h 't f th snout. Jaws very narrow, rather lengthened and sbarp-pomted, equal. t e extrem1 y o e . G d 1 l C'it caching as far back behind the eyes as It advances before them. Teeth ape eep y c e1', r . . . · 1 compressed at the sides, very sharp, slightly ho~ked and pm~tmg backwar~s; a~ove, m a smg c · fi t · t 0 row m ron , m w rows at the sides·• below ' m two rows m front, and m a smgle row a. t the s1' de s ; m· eac h case , however , the secondary row is very imperfect, some o.f them appearmg. to have been lost; also a row down the vomer, but interrupted in ~be mtddle of the. scnes : the front teeth above and below, and the secondary ones at the sides of the upper pw, are much stronger than the others; but the first three on the vomer, being those anterior to the blank space, are perhaps longer and more developed than any in the ~aws. Two tubular orifices above the eyes, and two at the extremity of the snout. Eyc.s dtstant from the end of the snout twice their own diameter. Branchial orifice of the same SlZe as the eyes. Three or four large pores arranged in a line along the edge of the upper jaw, but none apparent on the lower. . Dorsal fin thick and fleshy, and not very distinguishable from the body, cxceptmg posteriorly, so that its exact point of commencement cannot be fixed w~th preci~io~. ~ ent a trifle in advance of the midule point of the entire length. Anal fin sull less d1stmgmsbable than the dorsal. CoLOuR.-" Fine dark purplish brown, with yellow circular spots."-D.-'fhe spots are mostly small, and many of them not bigger than large pin's beaus. They are smaller and more crowded about the head than elsewhere, giving a freckled appearance. A second specimen is smaller than the above, measuring thirteen inches and a half in length. This specimen has the teeth more perfect. In the upper jaw, there is first an outer row reaching all round, in which the teeth are mostly small and regular, but towards the front mixed with some much longer ones; behind this, about the middle of the sides, is a short secondary row consisting of five or six teeth as long as those in front in the first row : in the lower jaw, the secondary row consists likewise only of four or five long teeth, but here they are placed in front instead of at the sides. Mr. Darwin's notes respecting the colours of this smaller specimen are as follows: "Dark reddish-purple brown, with pale, or whitishbrown spots: eyes bluish." Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. The larger of the two specimens above described was taken by Mr. Darwin at Charles Island, the smaller one in tidal pools at Chatham Island, in the G~lapagos Archipelago. It appears to be an undescribed species, though beanng much similarity to the M. Meleagris of Shaw. FISII. 145 2. MURJENA OCELLATA. Gymnothorax occllatus, Spi..v et Agass. Pi~ces Brazil. p. 91. tab. 50 b. FonM.--IIead but mouerately compressed. Snout rather short and blunt. Jaws equal. Gape reaching a little beyond the posterior part of the orbit. Teeth apparently in only a single row above and below, very strong and sharp at the extremity of the jaws : none at the anterior part of the vomer, but a few very short ones not easily seen at the back part of the median line of the palate. Two tubular orifices at the extremity of the snout, but above the eyes only two simple pores not prolonged into tubes. Eyes rather large, much exceeding in size the branchial orifice ; scarcely more than one diametet· between them and the end of the snout. Two or three large pores along the cugcs of both jaws. Dorsal very distinct, commencing above the branchial orifice. Vent a little before the miudlc. 'fail gradually tapering to a rather fine point. Length 12 inc. 9 lines. CoLoUR.-(In spirits.) Head and trunk brown, with round whitish spots. Dorsal and anal spotted with black and white, the black spots occupying the edge of the fin. Extremity of the tail imperfectly banded with white and dusky brown. Belly pale. Habitat, Rio de Janeiro. This elegant and well-marked species, first discovered by Spix on the Brazilian coast, was taken by Mr. Darwin in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro. 3. MunJEJSA --? FoRM.-IIead moderately compressed, rising considerably at the nape. Body slender, somewhat ensiform behind, and tapering towards the tail. Snout of moderate length. Jaws equal, or the upper one perhaps a very little longer than the lower. Gape reaching as far behind the eye, as it advances before it. Teeth partially in two rows above, in one below; sharp and strong at the extremity of the jaws, and on the anterior part of the vomer. Two tubular orifices at the extremity of the snout, but only simple pores above the eyes. Three or four large pores along the edges of the upper and under jaws. Eyes distant one diameter and a half from the end of the snout. Dorsal distinct, commencing almost on the occiput, and in advance of the branchial orifice. Vent before the middle. Anal commencing a little behind it, and, like the dorsal, distinct, but rather less so. Length Depth, fins not included From end of snout to branchial orifice From the same to vent jn, lin. 10 0 0 4 4 3 CoLoun.-(In spirits.) Rather dark brown, nearly uniform, but here and there with lighter mottlings. The lower jaw appears to have had a row of whitish spots encircling the pores. The species of JJ!fut·cena above described was taken by Mr. Darwin at Porto Praya, Cape de Verds. The individual being small, and possibly not having attained its permanent characters, I have forborne giving it any name, though I have not been able to identify it in the works of authors. u |