198 PISCES. 



The second division of common fishes, or that of the Mala- 

 copterygii, contains three orders, characterized by the posi- 

 tion of the ventrals or by their absence. 



ORDER II. 

 MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 



In this order the ventrals are suspended to the under part 

 of the abdomen and behind the pectorals, without being at- 

 tached to the bones of the shoulder. It is the most numerous 

 of the three, and comprehends most of the fresh- water fishes. 

 We subdivide it into five families. 



FAMILY I. 



CIPRINIDiE. 



The Ciprinidae are recognized by the slightly cleft mouth ; 

 the weak jaws, generally edentated, and whose border is 

 formed by the intermaxillaries ; by the deeply dentated pha- 

 ryngeals which compose the trifling armature of the jaws, and 

 by the small number of the branchial rays. Their body is 

 scaly, and they have no adipose dorsal, such as we shall find in 

 the Siluri and in the Salmons. Their stomach has no cul-de- 

 sac, neither are there any csecal appendages to their pylorus. 

 Of all fishes they are the least carnivorous. 



Cyprinus, Lin. 



A very numerous and natural genus, easily distinguished by the 

 small mouth, edentated jaws, and the three flat rays of the branchiae. 

 The tongue is smooth; the palate provided with a thick, soft, and 

 singularly irritable substance commonly termed a "carp's tongue." 

 The pharynx presents a powerful instrument of mastication, con- 

 sisting of stout teeth attached to the inferior pharyngeals, which 

 are so arranged as to be able to squeeze alimentary matters between 

 them, and of a stony disk set in a wide cavity under a process of the 



