NATURAL HISTORY. 



" Cold welle streams, nothing dcde, 

 That fjwormmen full of smale fishes light, 

 With finnes red, and scales silver bright." CUAUCKR. 



Sub-order V. Lophobranchia. 

 1113. Wliy is the fifth sub-order named lophobranchia f 



From lophon, a crest, and branchia, gills meaning crest' 

 'jilled. 



1114. In the lophobrancTiin the gills are arranged in little tufts, disposed in pairs 

 along the branchial arches. The aperture f JT the exit of water is very small. The 

 body is elongated in its form, and covered with bony plates. The fins are imper- 

 fectly developed. The bones of the face are prolonged, forming a snout. This 

 sub-order includes only a single family, composed of small fishes, of very 

 singular appearance. 



1115. IVJiy has the sea-horse a small pouch-like opening upon 

 its abdomen ? 



In the course of the summer, this curious sac is filled with 

 eggs ; and at a later period, when the fry are hatched, they 

 continue for a time to seek shelter within this singular cavity. 



1116. Mr. Yarrell describes this curious provision nearly as follows : u The 

 male differs from the female in the belly, from the vent to the tail fin, being much 

 broader, and in having, for about two-thirds of its length, two soft flaps, which 

 fold together and form a pouch. They breed in summer, the females depositing 

 their roe in the pouches of the males. 



1117. Why has the sea-horse* a pointed tail, destitute of the 

 usual fin? 



It uses the long tapering tail 

 to support itself ~by twisting it round 

 the stems of sea-weed and other objects, 

 moving about slowly amongst sea 

 weed, by a series of undulations, feeding 

 upon minute Crustacea, worms, mol- 

 lusca, &c. As the creature cannot pur- 

 sue its prey, a caudal fin would be of no 

 utility ; the tail is therefore converted 

 into a kind of fulcrum, from which the 

 animal srrikes its prey. 



* Hippocampus. 

 15* 



