FISHES WITH CONJOINED JAWS. 347 



some resemblance to those of a liorse in miniature, 

 which has obtained for this little fish the name of Sea- 

 horse. 



Fig. 279.— sea-horse. 



Order of Fishes with Conjoined Jaws. 



Plectognatht.* 



The chief distinctive character of these fishes is, 

 that the maxillary is solidly fixed to the intermax- 

 illary bone, and the whole united to the cranium, so 

 as to be immoveable. Moreover, their opercula are 

 concealed beneath a thick skin, Avhich leaves ex- 

 ternally only a small branchial slit. They have no 

 true ventral fins. 



In the family of Gymnodonts t there are apparently 

 no teeth, but the jaws are furnished with a species 



* TrAe/cTos, plectos, hoisted, conjoined ; yvdQos, gnatbos, the jaw. 

 t yvfivos, gymnos, rxilced ; 656us, odovros, odous, oclontos, a tooth. 



