CARPS. 203 



to each by the same authority in his recent Con- 

 spectus, published in 1850. Thus it will be 

 seen how rapid are the accessions that are now 

 being made to our knowledge of the species of 

 animals. 



SP. 



1 C5'prinidae 2G6 



2 Esocidce 72 



3 SiluridcB 128 



4 Salmonidae 148 



5 Clupeadae 103 



6 GadidEe 41 



SP. 



7 Pleuronectidae .... 77 



8 Cyclopteridse 27 



9 Echeneididse 4 



10 Ophidiadce 16 



1 1 Mursenadae 75 



12 Syngnathidae 43 



Total 1000 



Family I. Cyprinid^. 



(Carps.) 



In this very extensive Family, comprising so 

 many of our well-known and familiar river- fishes, 

 the mouth is small and shallow; the jaws are' 

 feeble and destitute of teeth; but the pharynx 

 (or entrance of the gullet) is defended by strong 

 teeth which compensate for the feeble armature 

 of the jaws : the tongue is smooth. The form is 

 somewhat compressed, and symmetrical ; the body 

 covered with scales, which are generally large ; 

 the fins are destitute of scales ; the rays are soft, 

 the membrane somewhat opaque : there is but 

 one dorsal, generally placed near the centre of the 

 back : the gill-rays are few in number. The 

 stomach is continuous, and the intestine is not 

 furnished with any caecal appendages. 



The Carps are considered to be the most her- 

 bivorous of all fishes, feeding chiefly on the seeds 



