PISCES. 



957 



don, Psettus, Pimelepterus, Dipterodon, 

 Brama, Pempheris, Fuxotes. 



1th Family. SCOMBERID^E. Scomber, 

 Xiphias, Centronotus, Rhincobdella, Cumpi- 

 lodon, Seriola, Nomeus, Temnodon, Curanx, 

 Vomer, Zeus, Stromateus, Sesarinus, Kurtus, 

 Coryphana. 



8th Family. TJENIOIDES. Lepidopus, Tri- 

 chiurus, Gymnetrus, Stytephorus, Cepola, Lo- 

 photes. 



9th Family. THEUTIDJE. Siganus, Acan- 

 thurus, Prionurus, Naseus, Axinurus, Priodun. 



10th Family. WITH LABYRINTHIFORM 

 PHARYNGEAL BONES. Anabas, Polyacatithus, 

 Macropodes, Helostomus, Asphromenus, Tri- 

 chopodes, Spirobranchus, Ophicephalus. 



i\th Family. MUGILID^E. Mvgil, Tetra- 

 gonurus, Atherina. 



\2th Family. GOBIDJE. Blennius, Anar- 

 rhicas, Gobiua, Callionymus, Platypterus, La- 

 brax. 



1.3th Family. WITH PECTORAL FINS FEET- 

 LIKE. Lophius, Batrachus. 



\4th Family. LABRID.E. Labrus, Xirech- 

 thi/s, Chromix, Scarus. 



15th Family. WITH FLUTE-SHAPED 

 MOUTHS. Fistularia, Centriscus. 



All the other osseous Fishes have the rays 

 that support the fins soft and composed of 

 numerous pieces articulated with each other, 

 with the exception, in some cases, of the first 

 ray of the dorsal or of the pectoral. These are 

 divided in accordance with the situation of the 

 ventral fins, which are sometimes placed be- 

 neath the abdomen, sometimes appended to the 

 framework of the shoulder, or, lastly, are alto- 

 gether wanting. Three distinct orders are thus 

 established, viz., MALACOPTERYOII ABDOMI- 

 NALES, MALACOPTERYGII SUBRACHIALES, and 

 MALACOPTERYGII APODES. 



ORDER II. MALACOPTERYGII AB- 

 DOMINALES. Having their ventral fins sus- 

 pended beneath the abdomen and behind the 

 pectorals, without any connection with the 

 bones of the shoulder. This order compre- 

 hends most fresh-water Fishes. 



\Qth Family. CYPRINID.E. Cyprinus, Co- 

 bitis, Anableps, Pacilia, Lebias, Fundulus, Mo- 

 linesia, Cyprinodon. 



17th Family. ESOCID^;. Esox, Exocetus, 

 Mormyrus. 



18th Family. SILURID^E. Silurus, Ma- 

 lapterurus, Aspredo, Loricaria. 



19th Family. SALMON IDJE. Salmo, Ster- 

 noptyx. 



IQth Family. CLUFEID.SI. Clupea, Odon- 

 tognathus, Print igaster, Notopterus, Engraulis, 

 Megalops, Elops, Butirinus, Chirocentrus, 

 Hyodon, Erythrinus, Amia, Sudis, Osteoglos- 

 sum, Lepisosteus, Polypterus. 



ORDER III. MALACOPTERYGII SU- 

 BRACHIALES. This order is distinguished 

 by the ventral fins being situated beneath the 

 pectoral, the pelvis being suspended immedi- 

 ately from the framework of the shoulder. 



2\st Family. GADID.E. Gadus, Lepidole- 

 prus. 



22nd Famili/. PLEURONECTES. Platcssa, 

 Hippoglosaus, Rhombus, Solea, Monochirus, 

 AC/I ir us. 



23rd Family. DISCOBOLI. Lepadogaster, 

 Cyclopterus, Echeneis. 



ORDER IV. MALACOPTERYGII 



APODES. Ventral fins totally wanting. 



24th Family. ANGUILLIFORMES. Murana, 

 Saccopharynx, Gymnotus, Gi/mnarchus, Lep- 

 tocephalus, Ophidium, Ammodytes. 



ORDER V. LOPHOBRANCHII. In all 



the preceding orders the gills are pectinated, 

 but in the Lophobranchii the respiratory organs 

 consist of little round tufts, disposed in pairs 

 along the branchial arches. 



25th Family. SYNGNATHID.S:. Syngnathus, 

 Pegasus. 



ORDER VI. PLECTOGNATHI. This 

 order of Fishes is distinguished by having the 

 superior maxillary bones consolidated with or 

 firmly united to the intermaxillaries, which latter 

 form the margin of the jaw. The opercula and 

 branchiostegous rays are, moreover, so con- 

 cealed by the thick skin that nothing is visible 

 externally but a small branchial fissure. 



26th Family. GYMNODONTES. Diodon, 

 Tetraodon, Orthagoriscus, Triodon. 



27th Family. SCLERODERMES. Balistes, 

 Ostracion. 



DIVISION IlI.pERMAPTERYGII. 



Skeleton cartilaginous or membranous ; fins 

 without either cartilaginous or bony rays, or 

 possessing the merest rudiments of them. 



ORDER I. CYCLOSTOMATA. 



28th Family. Petromyzon, Myxine. 



ORDER II. BRANCHIOSTOMATA. 



29th Family. Branchiostoma. 



As regards the texture of their bones, Fishes 

 may be divided into osseous, nbro-cartilaginous, 

 and true cartilaginous. 



The cartilaginous, otherwise called Chondrop- 

 terygii, and which by their entire skeleton, by 

 their branchiae, the external border of which is 

 fixed to the skin, and from which the water escapes 

 through narrow and multiplied orifices, as well 

 as by other details in their economy, are distin- 

 guished from other Fishes, have never truebones ; 

 their skeleton consists internally of a semi- 

 transparent cartilage, which in Rays and Sharks 

 is coated at its surface only with a layer of 

 opaque and calcareous grains. 



The Sturgeon and Chi maera have the bones of 

 the spine as soft as those of the Chondropterygii, 

 but the first of these genera has in many of the 

 bones of the head and shoulder, at least a layer 

 at the surface, completely ossified. 



Other Fishes differ widely from each other in 

 the hardness of the parts of their skeleton, and 

 the fibro-cartilaginous have from this circum- 

 stance been erroneously associated with the 

 Chondropterygii. In these, however, the cal- 

 careous matter, that is to say, the phosphate of 

 lime, is deposited by fibres and layers in the 

 cartilage, which serves as a basis to their bones, 

 as is the case with the most perfectly osseous 



