CHAPTER Ill 
THE STURGEON 
Appearance—Habits. 
First Sub-Class . PALAZEICHTHYES: ARCHAIC FISHES 
Second Order. . Ganoidei: Ganoid Fishes 
Fourth Sub-Order CHONDROSTEI: GRISTLY FISHES 
Tue sub-class Palzichthyes, as its title implies, embraces 
the most ancient types of fish known. It stands, says 
Dr. Gunther, in similar relation to the Te/eostei, or Bony- 
framed Fishes, as the marsupials do to placental mammals. 
It is divided into two orders—the Chondropterygii, or Gristly- 
finned Fishes, consisting of the sharks and rays, and the 
Ganoidei, or Ganoid Fishes, to which belongs the only indi- 
vidual in the sub-class frequenting British fresh waters. The 
fourth sub-order in this sub-class is named Chondrostei, or 
Gristly Fishes, and this again is divided into two families— 
the -Acipenseride, or Sturgeon Family, and the Polyodontide, 
or Many-toothed Family. 
ACIPENSERIDAZ:: THE STURGEON FAMILY 
Although inferior in rank of organisation to the Te/eostei, 
or Bony Fishes, the Sturgeons may claim the first place in 
the list of British fresh-water fish, not merely because they 
exceed all others in size—might gives no right in classifica- 
tion—but because of the position of their family and order 
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