INTRODUCTION. 



smooth naked slimy bodies, and tlie Aveakness of tlieir dorsal-fin spines. 

 JMost of tliem have various small appendages about the head, in the shape 

 of little feelers, filaments, or crests ; and are of dark or dull colours. Some 

 have the ventral fins curiously united, so as to form a hollow cup resem- 

 bling a limpet-shell (Patella) ; and more have them reduced to two or 

 three thick fleshy rays, scarcely connected by a web. 



Examples : — The Blennies, Gobies, Dragonets, in England ; Cabozes, 

 and Peixe Frades, in Madeira. 



Of the very singular Lophidae (Pectorales pediculees, Cuv.) or Fishing- 

 frog tribe, at once distinguished by their pedicellate or stalked pectoral 

 fins resembling hands, a single example only has occurred in Madeira, which 

 constitutes a new species in the tropical genus Chironectes. In the market 

 in Lisbon I have seen the curious fish (Lophius piscatorius, L.) in the 

 greatest abundance of all sizes ; but it is not known in Madeira. 



Lahrida : — The Wrasse or Labrid tribe. 



Another very distinct and tolerably extensive group in species, of gene- 

 rally small-sized shore or rock fishes ; characterized by the singular variety 

 and beauty of their colouring, small mouth, thick lips, projecting canine or 

 tusklike teeth, oblong scaly body, and lengthened dorsal fin, which runs 

 evenly along the back, and has the spines strong, and furnished with short 

 fleshy filaments or appendages at their tips. 



Examples : — The Wrasses or Old Wives ; Peixe Verdes, Trutas, Peixe 

 Cao, Bodiao, Papagayo, &c. of Madeira. 



Fistularid(B : — The Trumpet-fish or Sea-snipe tribe. 



This small but very distinct family terminates the series of Acantho- 

 pterygian or Spine-finned fishes. It is at once known by the prolongation 

 of its jaws or snout into a long straight slender bony tube, like a snipe's 

 beak, but with an orifice at the end. 



Examples : — The Trumpet-fish, Sea-snipe or Bellows-fish ; Becasses de 

 mer of the French ; Soffietta of Italy. 



II. MALACOPTERYGIANS. 



The second series of the true fishes, called Malacopterygians or Soft-finned, 

 are distributed by Cuvier into three groups or orders. Abdominal, Pectoral, 

 and Apodal, from the position or the absence of the ventral fins. 



1. In the first of these, the Abdominal, the ventral fins are placed conspi- 

 cuously behind the pectoral fins ; as in the Carp, Gold-fish, Trout, Salmon, 

 Pike, Herring, &c. Arenque, Sardinha, Lagarto of Madeira. It contains 

 five principal families, embracing most of the fresh-water well-known fishes 

 of Europe. 



Cyprinida : — The Carp tribe or family. 



This well-known tribe can scarcely require definition. The mouth is 



