FISH IN GENERAL. 57 



the intermaxillary, forming the labial bone, and articulated 

 with it (No. 17), as also with the salient surface of the 

 vomer (No. 16), and with a slightly bent apophysis of the 

 palatine bone (No. 22). The form of the intermaxillaries in 

 general determines the shape of the snout of fishes, whether 

 depressed, rounded, pointed, or prolonged ; and the length of 

 their ascending pedicles gives the power of protracting the 

 mouth. 



The nasal, suborbitary, and supra-temporal bones, are the 

 most variable of all in the osteology of fishes. Thejirst sub- 

 orbitary (No. 19), is articulated to a surface of the external 

 lower apophysis of the anterior frontal, and forms the outer 

 border of the nostril, while the internal border is formed by the 

 nasal (No. 20), articulated above with the frontal (No. 1), and 

 other bones. To the first suborbitary above-mentioned, are 

 attached a chain of bones more or less enlarged and numerous 

 (No. 19), ending at the posterior frontal (No. 4), having passed 

 round the lower edge of the orbit : these are the bones which 

 are so conspicuous on the plated cheeks of triglae and 

 scorpaense. There exist in many instances another suite of 

 small bones, the supra-temporals (No. 21), forming a chain 

 towards the rear on each side, between the external and 

 intermedial apophyses of the cranium, which cover the arti- 

 culation of the supra-scapular bone (No. 46), with their two 

 apophyses. 



The palatine arch, or palatino-pterygoidean and temporal 

 system is composed of seven bones on each side, including 

 the palatine in front (No. 22), which is often armed with 

 teeth, and reaching as far back as the temporal (No. 23). 

 Behind the palatine are two bones ; the one narrow, bent, 

 and forming the external border, is the transverse bone 

 (No. 24), the other broader, flat, and thin, occupying the 

 central and internal part of this system, answers to the inter- 

 nal pterygoidcan (No. 25) ; the first is attached to the jugal 



