GAR-PIKES, OLD AND YOUNG. 3 



Because, unfortunately, we are not sure that there are any "fish- 

 es." The terms "beast, bird, and fish," notwithstanding common 

 usage and the sanction of Scripture, are devoid of scientific accuracy. 

 For " beast " includes turtles and alligators, and excludes the aquatic 

 mammals, whales, porpoises, manatee, and dugong. "Bird" includes 

 bats and pterodactyls, and excludes the ostriches and penguins, which 

 cannot fly. So " fish " is not only held by some persons to embrace 

 the aquatic mammals, but also, when employed in a stricter sense, it 

 includes forms differing among themselves in many important points. 



At any rate, the " fish-like vertebrates " present the following well- 

 marked groups : 



1. Amphioxus lanceolatus ; the lancelet. A single genus with 

 perhaps a single species, but so peculiar as to have received the fol- 

 lowing appellations : Branchiostoma, Cirrostomi, Pharyngobranchii, 

 Leptocardia, Acrania, Entomocrania, Dermopteri. 



2. Myzonts, or Marsipobranchii ; the hag-fishes and lamprey-eels. 



3. Plagiostomes, or Elasmobranchii; sharks and skates. 



4. Ilolocephala; the (7^^ma?/'a and Callorhynchus. 



5. Ganoids ; the sturgeons (Acipenser and ScaphyrhyncMis) ; the 

 spoonbill [Polyodon) ; the mud-fish (Amia) ; the gar-pike {Lepidos- 

 teus) ; and the Polypterus and Galamoichthys of Africa, with many 

 fossil forms. 



6. Dipnoans ; the mud-fishes of Africa, South America, and Aus- 

 tralia {Protopterus, Z/epidosiren, and Ceratodus). 



All of the above were formerly, and are now popularly, regarded 

 as fishes. 



But tlie fishes, proper, or ordinary fishes, are now called: 



7. Teleosts ; the perch, salmon, cod, mackerel, and. all others not 

 included within the other six groups. 



Some have included Amjyhioxus with the Myzonts ; others the 

 Plagiostomes with the Ganoids. The most natural combination 

 seems to be that of the Ganoids with the Teleosts ; and to this larger 

 group the term Pisces has been applied. But for the present it is 

 safer to recognize the distinctions, and to make our generalizations 

 more exact. 



What, then, is a gar-pike ? Is it a Ganoid or a Teleost ? Curiously 

 enough, tlie prefix "gar" (signifying a dart or pointed weapon) is 

 employed to designate two fishes, of which one {Belone) is a marine 

 Teleost, and the other [Lejndosteus) is a fluviatile Ganoid. Both 

 have long jaws with sharp teeth, but in other respects they are very 

 unlike. It will be better to call Belone the " gar-fish " and Lepidos- 

 teus the gar-pike.^ 



The general appearance of the gar-pike is sufficiently indicated by 



' These common names are very perplexing. Thus the true pike is Esox. The name 

 dog-fish is popularly applied to Menobranchus. a batrachian ; to Amia, a ganoid ; and to 

 Acanthias, a shark. 



