298 CARTILAGINEI. CHIMiERAD^. 



and silvery-white beneath ; the plates are bone- 

 white. 



Family II. Chim^rad^. 



(Chimeras.) 



The name Chimcera, that of a monstrous com- 

 pound being in classic fable, was applied by 

 Linnaeus to a cartilaginous fish, on account of 

 its singular and uncouth appearance. One species 

 alone was known to him, a native of the northern 

 seas, but a second, if not a third, has since been 

 added from the southern hemisphere. 



The Chimceradcs have much resemblance to the 

 Sharks in external appearance ; having the same 

 general form, and nearly the same arrangement 

 of the fins. In the peculiarities of their respira- 

 tory organs, they hold an intermediate place be- 

 tween these fishes and the Sturgeons, for while 

 there is only one external gill-aperture on each 

 side, yet the gills are not properly free, but ad- 

 here by portions of their edges, so as to leave 

 five openings communicating with the external 

 aperture. Their jaws are merely rudimentary ; 

 hard undivided plates supply the place of teeth, 

 four above and two below. 



Genus Chimjera. (Linn.) 



The body is lengthened, terminating in a 

 slender filament ; there are two dorsals, the first 

 short, high, and preceded by a stout spine ; the 

 second low and very long. The males are dis- 

 tinguished by three pointed bony appendages to 



