﻿136 GANGETic FISHES. Order V. 



The pectoral fins, placed near the middle of the side, are short, 

 and rounded at the end : each contains eighteen rays, of which 

 two on each side are undivided. The ventral fins are inserted 

 far from each other, on two naked bones, which form the lower 

 edge of the body. Each contains six rays, of which the hind- 

 most are bifid and the longest, while those before are branch- 

 ed. The fin behind the vent is indented on the edge, and con- 

 tains thirteen branched rays , nearly of equal length. That of 

 the tail is rounded behind, and contains about eighteen rays. 



ORDER V. 



FISHES WITH THE DORSAL SPINE OF BONE, AND HAVING THEIR 

 VENTRAL FINS BEHIND THE PECTORALS. 



Several genera belonging to this order, although often dis- 

 tinct enough in general appearance, are very difficult to be dis- 

 tinguished by well-defined characters. The most careless ob- 

 server, for instance, would have little difficulty in distinguish- 

 ing the species belonging to the genus Cobitis from those consti- 

 tuting the genus Cypriniis, or the genus Silurus; yet I must 

 say, that I find it almost impossible to state any well-defined 

 marks, by which the Cobitis can be distinguished, on one hand, 

 from the Cyprimts, and, on the other, from the Silmtts. But 

 these genera must be considered by all as the fishes of this or- 

 der most distinct from each other ; the Linnaean genera Salmo, 

 Mugil, Atheiina, Esox, and Clupea, being interposed in the scale 

 of gradation. It must be farther observed, that different spe- 



