INTKODUCTION. 



small, jaws feeble, generally entirely without teetli ; the branchial rays not 

 numerous. Their body is scaly, generally somewhat slimy. They all in- 

 habit fresh water, and feed chiefly upon vegetable substances or small mud 

 insects, worms, &c. 



Examples : — Carp, Gold-fish, Tench, Gudgeon, Barbel, Bream, Roach, 

 Dace, Chub, Blealc, Minnow, Loach, &c. No Madeiran species, except 

 the half-naturalized Gold-fish. 



Esocidtz : — The Pike tribe. 



Mouth or at least gape very large and long, well armed with often long 

 and formidable teeth. Their body elongated, generally slender, covered 

 with scales. Voracious fishes, fierce in their habits, and swift of motion, 

 inhabiting the sea and fresh w^ater. 



Examples: — The Pike, Garfish or Sea-pike, Saury, Flying-fish, &c. 

 Aculha and Avoador of Madeira. 



Omitting the Silurida;, a family of naked eel-like or curiously cuirassed 

 fresh-water fishes, of which the Saluth of Switzerland, Wels or Scheid of 

 Germany, a doubtful native of Britain, is an example, we arrive at the well- 

 known family of the 



Salmonida; : — The Salmon tribe. 



According to Cuvier, neatly or concisely characterized by the small rudi- 

 mentary rayless fatty (adipose) second dorsal fin. The body is elongated 

 and scaly ; the mouth is large, well armed with teeth, which are found even 

 on the tongue. They inhabit both the sea and fresh water ; many of the 

 species living indifferently in either for a portion of the year. 



Examples: — Salmon, Trout, Char, Smelt, &c. and the Lagartos of 

 Madeira. 



Clupeida : — The Herring tribe. 



Distinguished from the Salmonida somewhat artificially by Cuvier, on 

 account merely of the absence of an adipose second dorsal fin. This cha- 

 racter ought probably to be employed less absolutely in regard to both these 

 families, which seem to require considerable remodelling. The edge of the 

 belly is generally keeled, and serrate like a saw. The mouth is small, and 

 feebly armed with minute teeth. 



Examples: — Herring, Pilchard, Sprat, Whitebait, Shad, Anchovy, &c. 

 and Arenque, Sardinha, of Madeira. 



2. The second order of the Malacopterygious or Soft-finned fishes is 

 characterized by the forward position of the ventral fins upon the throat, 

 before or beneath the pectoral fins or branchial (gill) openings ; hence 

 called Subbracliian or Pectoral Malacopterygians. It contains the large 

 and important family of the 



Gadidre : — The Cod-fish tribe. 



The bodv is elongated, and covered Avith rather soft small scales, the 



