in the Fish Gallery of the Indian Museum. 4 1 



The following is the classification of fishes proper 

 adopted in this Gallery : — 



Subclass I. Chondropterygii : — 



Order i. PLAGIOSTOMA: — 



Suborder 1. Sclachoidei (Sharks). 

 „ 2. Batoidei (Rays). 



Order ii. Holocephala (Chi?nccras). 



Subclass II. Dipnoi (Lepidosirens), not represented 



in India. 



Subclass III. Teleostomi : — 



Order i. Ganoidei (Sturgeons), not represented 

 in India. 



Order ii. Teleostei (Bony fishes) : — 



Suborder 1. Physostomi. 



„ 2. Acanthopterygii. 



„ 3. Anacanthini. 



„ 4. Lophobranchii. 



„ 5. Plectognathi. 



We shall begin with the Bony-fishes, as they are, 

 from the systematist's point of view, the latest, highest, 

 and most specialized developments of the fish type. It 

 must be remembered, however, that from the morpholo- 

 gist's point of view, this very specialization has brought 

 the Bony-fishes to a lower or rather more aberrant 

 grade of organization, compared with the central ideal 

 Vertebrate standard, than the Chondropterygii and 

 Dipnoi. 



For the same reason we shall begin with the Acan- 

 thopterygii among the Bony- fishes. 

 6 



