142 ACANTHOPTERYGII. — CEPOLAD^. 



sionally presented to the notice of British na- 

 turalists, being found washed up by the violence 

 of the waves on the rocks or beach. Though so 

 limited in number, the fishes of this Family con- 

 stitute three Sub-families, distinguished princi- 

 pally by the form of the head and mouth. 



1. Cepolina. In these the muzzle is short, 

 and the mouth cleft obliquely, so as to open 

 upwards; the body is deepest at the head, and 

 diminishes gradually to the tail, which is fur- 

 nished with a distinct caudal, though united to 

 the dorsal, as also to the anal, where this last is 

 present. Most of the species are natives of the 

 Mediterranean. 



2. Gymnetrina. Here the mouth is small and 

 little cleft ; the body is excessively long and 

 thin; the dorsal extends the whole length; the 

 anal is wanting; the pectorals are minute, but 

 the ventrals remarkably developed. 



3. Trichiurina. In this group the muzzle 

 is lengthened, the mouth deeply cleft, and armed 

 with strong trenchant teeth, the lower jaw pro- 

 jecting beyond the upper, with a pointed chin. 

 The dorsal is long, but not united with the 

 caudal : the ventrals are wanting, as are, in one 

 genus, the anal, and the caudal also. 



" The Ribbon-fishes," remarks Mr. Swainson, 

 who seems to have been personally familiar 

 with not a few species, " although vastly in- 

 ferior, in point of number, to either of the more 

 typical divisions, is yet one of the greatest in- 

 terest, since it contains the most singular and 

 extraordinary fishes in creation. . . . The form 

 of the body, when compared to fishes better 

 known, is more like that of the Eel, the length 



