264 



Classifica- 

 tion — Pha- 

 ryngo- 

 gnatlia. 



ICHTHYOLOGY. 



Ge.nds V. ACANTHICUS, Agass. Articulated spines on the 

 snout, cheeks, and gill-covers, like those of a hedgehog. Osseous 

 plates on the body, crested and spinous ; distinct squamiform 

 bucklers on the belly. Teeth with a double curvature, arranged 

 like those of Rhinelepis ; mouth encircled by a complete velum. A 

 single dorsal. 



Genus VI. Hypostomvs. Lac^p. Second dorsal analogous to an 

 adipose fin, having an osseous ray in front. Body thick and short. 

 Head especially large. Bony armour, like that of Loricaria, on the 

 body. A large first dorsal opposed to the ventrals and anal. Pec- 

 toral spine rough, long, and strong. BranchiostegaU three. Seven 

 species. 



Oedek III.— PHARYNGOGNATHS. 



This order is founded on the character, common to all its 

 members, of the lower pharyngeals being tniited to form one 

 bone. Ill external aspect there is no similarity between 

 the families of Scomberesocidce and Lahridce, which belong 

 to it. 



Okdeu III.— PHARYNGOGXATIII, Miill. 



Endo-skeleton ossified ; e.\o-skeleton in some as Cycloid, in others 

 as Ctenoid scales; inferior pharyngeal bones coalescent. Swim- 

 bladder without an air-duct. Ventral fins in some on the thorax, 

 in others on the abdomen. 



Sub-Order I.— MALACOPTBRYGII. 

 Fins without spines. 



SCOMBERESOCIDCE. 



Of this group of Pharyngognaths we may obtain a correct 

 notion from the Garfish or Greenbones of our coasts, named 

 also by the fishermen Mackerel Guides, because they an- 

 nually come into shallow waters at the time of the Macke- 

 rel fisheries. This fish belongs to the genus Belone which 

 contains many species, and among others B. cuudimacula 

 and B. cancila, \\h\c\\ inhabit the trcsli waters of the penin- 

 sula of Hindostan, and afford an instance, in addition to 

 many others, that generic assemblages are independent of 

 habitat, as to the species being marine, lacustrine, or fluvia- 

 tile. The British seas furnish an example of the genus 

 Scomberesox, also, in the Saury Pike or Skipper. The lat- 

 ter name is given in consequence of the habit these fishes 

 have of leaping out of the water, which is also practised by 

 the Belones. Some species of this genus have an air-blad- 

 der, while others want it ; a remarkable peculiarity in fishes 

 so similar in aspect, but which also occurs among the 

 Mackerel. 



The ExoccBtt or Flying Fishes have ever been an object of 

 great interest to navigators. The monotonous and quiet 

 voyage of a ship running before the trade- winds is enlivened 

 by the flights of large bands of these creatiu-es rising before 

 the bows of the vessel, and like a flight of larks or sand- 

 pipers glittering in the sun, and often by a simultaneous 

 impulse, changing the direct line for one nearly at right 

 angles, before settling in their native element again. The 

 muscular force by whieli this progress through the air is 

 effected has engaged the attention of Humboldt. This 

 illustrious and accurate observer states that the Flying Fish 

 move by myriads constantly in a right line, and in a direc- 

 tion opposite to that of the waves. He doubts whether 

 this flight be generally assumed as a means of escape from 

 voracious fishes, and with reason. As we have noticed above, 

 their near allies the Belones and Scomberesoces have the 

 habit at certain times of leaping frequently from the water, 

 and we have observed the same thing to occur in the spawn- 

 ing season among the shoals of Malloti, which often land 

 themselves in numbers on the dry beach. There seems to 

 be something in the constitution of these fishes which im- 

 pels them to this movement, and the Exocati are organized 



to carry it to the fullest extent by the size of their pectoral Claesifica- 

 fins and the power of the muscles which move them. There *'"" — f"''*" 

 are some who assert that the flight of the Exoctsli isa. mere 

 leap, resembling the ricochet of a stone skimming along the 

 surface of the water, but the pectorals are certainly impelled 

 against the air in the course of the flight. The bands fre- 

 quently undulate in their height above the water before 

 subsiding into it again ; and, as mentioned above, it is not 

 rare to see them change their direction, though this is not 

 done till just before the termination of their ai^rial course. 

 Their flight is rapid, greatly exceeding that of a ship going 

 10 miles an hour, and we are not inclined to limit it to a 

 distance of 500 feet. It is not easy to form a correct judg- 

 ment of distance under such circumstances ; but having 

 often watched their flights when in a frigate 120 feet long, 

 it appeared to us to exceed the length of the ship many 

 times, and its altitude was such that in the night they fre- 

 quently fell on board. Many shoals, consisting entirely of 

 small ones, from 2 to 3 inches long, showed a smaller 

 power of sustaining themselves in the air, and more fre- 

 quently glanced against the summit of the coming wave, 

 but the larger kinds rose vigorously into the air. 



Family I.— SCOMBERESOCID.^, Mull. 



Maxillaries coalescent with or adherent to the elongated pre- 

 niaxillaries at the corner of the mouth, under the nasal, and co- 

 vered in part or wholly by the preorbit;ir scale bone. 



Genus I. Belone, Cuv. Upper border of the javF formed by 

 the premaxillaries, which, together with the mandible, are elon- 

 gated into a long bill ; teeth on these bones forming a narrow 

 stripe, the interior row consisting of taller conical ones j roof of 

 tlie mouth smooth (except in the species which frequents the Chan- 

 nel) ; two small patches of teeth in the upper pharyngeals, more 

 pointed than those on the lower pharyngeals, which are short, 

 conical, inclining to the pavement form. Gill-openings large; 

 branchiostegals, twelve. A hard helmet, formed of the cranial 

 biines, is variously sculptured and furrowed. Body elongated. 

 Scales very thin, like those of Scomber, and not easily perceptible, 

 except one row of keeled ones on each side. Dorsal and anal op- 

 posite each other, and far back. No pyloric cosca ; large air- 

 bladder. Twenty-si.\ species. 



Genus II. Scomberesox, Lacep. ; Sairis, Rafin. Jaws con- 

 structed nearly as in lietone, but the mandible is always the 

 longest, and the maxillary, instead of being confluent with tlie pre- 

 niaxillary, is merely in apposition ; the teeth are extremely small, 

 and uniserial on the jaws ; none on the roof of the mouth or tongue. 

 Shape of the body much as in Belone. Dorsal and anal far back, 

 opposite to one another, and followed by detached finlets of vari- 

 able number, according to the species. A scaly keel, as in Lehne, 

 but which becomes obsolete near the anal, and does not reach the 

 caudal. No pancreatic caxa ; the air-bladder present in some sjie- 

 cies is wanting in others, as in the species of Scomber. Five spe- 

 cies. 



Genus III. IIemiramphus, Cuv. The distinctive character of 

 this genus is expressed by the name, and consists in the edentate, 

 pointed projection of the mandibular symphysis, producing a kind 

 of half bill. The upper jaw is formed by the premaxillaries sol- 

 dered together, and the maxillaries joined to them at the angle of 

 the mouth widen and form a s]iur which is concealed by the pre- 

 orbitar. A narrow band of small granular teeth exists in both jaws. 

 In other respects these fishes resemble Belone, and as in that genus, 

 the intestinal canal is straight, without pancreatic cffica. The air- 

 bladder runs the whole length of the abdomen, between the spine 

 and a tense arch of the peritoneum ; and in the species (three) which 

 M. Valenciennes examined, he found its structure cellular, similar to 

 that of Amia. Thirty species. 



GuNUS IV. EXOCETUS, Linn. (Sub-Family, ^.cocccfini, Bonap.) 

 Recognizable at once by the large pectoral fins that are capable of 

 being used as wings or parachutes. Head and body scaly, with a 

 scaly keel on each flank. Head flattened above and on the sides. 

 Dorsal opposite the anal. Eyes large. Premaxillaries without 

 nasal pedicels, forming the border of the upper jaw ; maxillary 

 not soldered to the premaxillary, but having nearly the same posi- 

 tion as in Belone, and gliding under the preorbitar ; jaws armed 

 with small pointed teeth, composed of osteo-dentine, and the pha- 

 ryngeals with crowded teeth, having compressed crowns and several 

 cusps, like those of Cyprinodon, Acanthurus, and otiier genera. 

 Branchiostegals ten to twelve. Intestine straight, without pyloric 



