1865.] GILL — FISHES OP THE BAY OP FUNDY. 245 



• 



families peculiar to the types here noticed, but not to all belonging 

 to them, have in several cases been employed. In conclusion, it 

 need only be stated that the nomenclature here adopted is in every 

 case in most strict conformity with the rules proposed by the Brit- 

 ish Association, founded on the teachings of the great Swedish re- 

 former, and subsequently endorsed by the American Association.* 

 We may regret that rules so truly founded on good sense should 

 have been so frequently infringed in previous enumerations of our 

 fishes, and that the consequent innovations should have been ad- 

 mitted unchallenged by so many responsible naturalists. Many of 

 these corrections, so long deferred, have only been very recently 

 made, and such are adopted in the following enumeration. It is 

 to be hoped, as it is believed, that the time has passed when ob- 

 vious infractions of wholesome rules of nomenclature should not 

 only be committed with impunity, but even sustained by others. 



Those species which have not been found in the gulf or bay, 

 but in closely contiguous waters, or at places beyond both extrem- 

 ities of the area indicated, are pointed out by an asterisk (*) 

 placed before the name : when the name or specific rank is 

 doubtful, an asterisk is generally placed after it. 



Sub-classes of Fishes. 

 I. Branchiae free at their distal margins. 



A. Optic nerves decussating. Arterial bulb normally with 

 two opposite valves at its origin. (Skeleton more or less 

 completely ossified.) Teleostei. 



B. Optic nerves not decussating. Arterial bulb with several 

 rows of valves. (Skeleton variable.) GrANOlDEl. 



II. Branchiae attached. (Skeleton always cartilaginous.) 



A. Optic nerves not decussating. Arterial bulb with several 

 rows of valves. Ventral fins always present, abdominal, 

 provided in the males with peculiar sexual appendages. 

 Copula c/audent. Elasmobranchia. 



B. Optic nerves decussating. Heart without muscular tunic, 

 but with two opposite valves. Ventral fins entirely absent. 

 (Body serpentiform, without pectorals or ventrals.) 



Marsipobranchia. 



* In order not to be misunderstood, I may state that, like most others, 

 I have not hitherto followed § 2 of the British rules limiting priority to 

 the twelfth edition of the Systema Natures ; but at the same time I believe 

 that if the tenth edition were substituted for the twelfth, adherence to 

 that rule might not be unadvisable. No cause for the infraction of the 

 rule occurs in the present article. 



