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Show 260 PISCES. Another has two rows of lateral round teeth, and four rows, also round, on the vomer, forming a kind of pavement. The fins of this species are scarcely apparent.( 1) Finally, there are others which have several rows of teeth resern. bling those of a card: such is • M. saga, Risso, Ed. I, f. 39. From t~e M~d1terranean; re· markable for its elongated, ro.und and pomted Jaws, and the extension of its tail into a very sharp point.(2) The SPHAGEBRANOHUS, Bl. Differs from a Murrena by the approximation of the branchial openings on the throat. The vertical fins, iu several species, only begin to project near the tail; the snout is extended and pointed. The stomach is a long cul-de-sac, the intestine straight, and the bladder long, narrow and placed behind. Some species are totally deprived of pectorals.(3) Others have small vestiges of them. ( 4) There are even some,-the APTERIOHTIIEs, Dumer., CEO ILIA, La· cep., in which no vertical fin whatever can be perceived, and consequently are Fishes without fins.(5) . MoNOPTERus, Commers. and Lacep. The two branchial apertures united on the throat in a transverse fissure, divided in the middle by a partition; the dorsal and anal only visible in the middle of the tail, and uniting at its point; teeth like those of a card in the jaws and palatines; six rays in each gill, and only three very small branchire. M. javanensis, Lacep. The only species known; back green, and a fawn-coloured belly. From the Sunda islands.(6) SYNBRANOIIUs, BI.-U NIBRANCIIAPERTURus, Lacep. The branchial opening consisting of a single round or longitudinal (1) Gymnomurene cerclee, Lacep. V, xix, 4·, or M zebra, Shaw, Seb. II,lxx,3. (2) The NettaBoma melanura, Rafin., Caratt., pl. xvi, f. 1, is at least closely allied to this Saga of Uisso. N. B. The Dalopltis of Rafinesque, Caratt., pl. vii, f. 2, 3, should be edcntated ?tlura:nre, but we do not know them. (3) Sphagebranchus rostratus, Bl. 419, 2, and the Leptocephalus Spallanzani, Risso, 85;-Crecula pterygea, Vahl., Mem. d'hist. Nat. de Copenh. IIl, xiii, 1, 2, Manti-bukaropaumu, Russel, J, 37. (4) Spltagebrancltus imberbis, Laroche, Ann. Mns., XIII, xxv, 18. (5) Murama calca, L., Laroche, Ann., Mus. XIII, xxi, 6. . (6) I suspect it is the same fish figured by Lacep. v, xvii, 3, under the dJifel" ent name of Unibranchapertwre lisse. MALACOPTERYGII APODES. 261 aperture under the throat, common to both sides; no pectorals; ver· tical fins almost wholly adipose. The head is thick, the snout rounded, teeth obtuse, and the opercula part]y cartilaginous; six strong branchial rays. The intestinal canal is perfectly straight; the only distinction between it and the stomach is, that the latter is a little more ample and has a valve at the pylorus. There is a long and narrow natatory bladder, but not crecum. From the seas of hot eli· mates.(l) ALABEs, Cuv. A common branchial aperture under the throat, as in Synbranchus; but the pectorals are well marked, and between them is a little concave disk. A small operculum and three rays are distinguishable through the skin; the teeth pointed, and the intestines as in synbranchus. But a single small species is known; it inhabits the Indian Ocean. It is immediately after this great genus of the Murrenre that should be placed a newly discovered :fish, which is one of the most singular of the whole class; I mean the SACCOPHARYNx, Mitch.-OPHIOGN A THus, Harwood. Whose trunk, susceptible of being so inflated as to resemble a thick tube, terminates in a very long and slender tail, surrounded by an extremely low dorsal and anal which unite at its point. The mouth, armed with sharp teeth, opens far behind the eyes, which are placed close to the very short point of the snout. The branchial aperture consists in a hole under the pectorals, which are very small. This fish attains a large size, and appears to be voracious. It has only been seen in the Atlantic Ocean, floating on the surface by the dilatation of its throat.(2) GYMNOTus, Lin.(3) The gills partly closed by a membrane, as in Anguilla, but opening (1) Synbranchus marmoratus, BI., 418;-Synb. immaculatus, Id. 419, Unibranch. cacltia, Buchan., XVI, 4, Dond<Jo-paum, Rnssel, XXXV, has no appearance of a fin. (2) The Saccopltarynx flagellum of Mitchill was six feet in length, and the Opltiognatltus ampullaceus of Harwood was four and a half. The first appeared to have no teeth in the lower jaw, and it is possible that these two fishes, although found in the same latitude, are different species; they evidently, however, belong to the same genus. (3) Gymnctus, or, properly speaking, Gymnonotua (Bare-back), a name given to these fishes by Artedi. \ |