THE 



SECOND ORDER OF FISHES. 



MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 



By this we mean those fishes whose ventrals are sus- 

 pended to the under part of the abdomen, and behind 

 the pectorals, without being attached to the humeral 

 bone. This is the most numerous of the three orders, 

 and comprehends the greater part of the fresh-water 

 fish. 



We subdivide them into five families. 



The first family, or that of 



Cyprinoides, 



Is recognized by a mouth but slightly cleft, weak 

 jaws, most frequently without teeth,* and the edge of 

 which is formed by the intermaxillaries ; by pharyn- 

 geals strongly dentated, which compensate for the 

 slight armature of the jaws ; and by branchial rays 

 not very numerous. Their body is scaly ; they have 

 no adipose dorsal, such as we see in the siluri and 

 salmons ; their stomach has no cul-de-sac, nor their 



