On a new species of the genus Cephalopterus. 



articulated with each other; but the articulations, like those of 

 the human sternum, had very little motion. This series of 

 stiff joints was fixed in the flesh, and proceeded somewhat ob- 

 liquely backward. Instead of moving like the leg of a beast, 

 the arm of a man, the fin of a fish, or the wing of a bird, it 

 seemed to serve the purpose of a basis for other organs of mo- 

 tion ; at least as far the scapula, humerus, and ulna were con- 

 cerned. It had more analogy to the wing of a bird than to 

 any thing else ; and yet so different from it, as to manifest a 

 remarkable variety of mechanism, in organs intended substan- 

 tially for the same use. 



Fish of the kind now under consideration, may be aptly de- 

 nominated submarine birds ; for they really fly through the wa- 

 ter as birds fly through the air. I have seen fishes of this or- 

 ganization perform their flights by flapping their wings after 

 the manner of crows, hawks, and eagles, in their progress. 



From this articulated but fixed anterior extremity, as it may 

 be termed, proceeded obliquely backward seventy-seven rows 

 of cartilage of different lengths, but of almoit same parallelism, 

 and not at all radiated. They were all articulated, and the 

 joints were very numerous. In the longest row they amount- 

 ed to twenty-seven, and in the shorter ones, they were propor- 

 tionally few; the cartilages and their articulations were so al- 

 ternated and diversified, that they, with the yielding and bend- 

 ing quality of the cartilage, were susceptible of all manner of 

 flexion, and enabled the fish to assume all the attitudes requi- 

 site for its life and habits. 



The contrast between the wing of a bird and of such a fish 

 is curious : 



In this sort of Fish, 

 The anterior extremity is 



In a Bird, 



The anterior extremity is 

 free or loose. 



There are few or no pha- 

 langes. 



fast or confined. 



The phalanges are numerous 

 and answer the purpose of 

 ventral fins. 



