THE 



THIRD ORDER OF FISHES. 



MALACOPTERYGII SUBBRACHIATI, 



Is characterized by ventrals attached under the pec- 

 torals, and the pelvis is immediately suspended to the 

 bones of the shoulder. 



It contains almost as many families as genera. 



The first, or that of 



Gadoides, 



Is composed almost entirely of the great genus 



Gadus 1 , L., 



To be recognized by the ventrals attached under the 

 throat, and sharpened to a point. 



1 Gadus is, in Athenaeus, the Greek name of a fish, otherwise 

 called Onos. Artedi has applied it to this genus for the purpose of 

 avoiding those of Onos, Asellus, and Mustela, employed hy the 

 ancients, and which the first modern ichthyologists believed, though 

 without any proof, to have designated some of our Gadi, but which 

 being also the names of quadrupeds, might have produced some 

 ambiguity. Gadus, moreover, resembles the English name of these 

 fishes, cod. 



