THE 



SECOND SERIES OF THE CLASS OF FISHES, 



OR THE 



CHONDROPTERYGII, 



Cannot be considered as either superior or inferior 

 to ordinary fishes ; for many of its genera approxi- 

 mate to the reptiles in the conformation of the 

 ear, and of the genital organs, while others exhibit 

 such a simplicity of organization, and their skeleton 

 is reduced to such a trifle, that we might hesitate to 

 number them among vertebrated animals. This di- 

 vision may then be considered as a series, in some 

 measure parallel to the first, just as the marsupiate 

 animals may be considered as parallel to the other 

 unguiculated mammifera. 



The skeleton of the Chondropterygii, is essentially 

 cartilaginous ; that is, no osseous fibres are formed in 

 it, but the calcareous matter is deposited in little 

 grains, and not in threads or filaments. From this 

 it results that there are no sutures in their cranium, 

 which is always formed of a single piece, but in which 

 we can distinguish, by means of the projections, 



