PISCES. 319 



maxillaries straight and long : gape extending to behind 

 the eyes : both jaws furnished with teeth : gill-opening 

 extremely large ; the membrane with twelve or more rays : 

 abdomen generally smooth. 



(4.) LEPISOSTEUS. Snout prolonged, formed by the union of the 

 intermaxillaries, maxillaries, palatines, vomer and ethmoid : lower jaw 

 equalling it : both jaws armed with sharp teeth : branchiostegous mem- 

 brane with three rays : body covered with hard osseous scales : dorsal and 

 anal opposite, placed very far back. 



(II. SUBBRACHIALES.) 



Ventrals immediately beneath the pectorals, the pelvis 

 being attached to the bones of the shoulder. 



V. GADIDjE*. Ventrals jugular, pointed: body 

 covered with soft scales : all the fins soft : jaws, 

 and front of the vomer, armed with several rows 

 of sharp card or rasp-like teeth: gill-opening 

 large with seven rays. 



46. GADUS Body oval, moderately elongated : head 



compressed : three dorsals : two anals : one barbule at the 

 extremity of the lower jaw: ventrals with six rays. 



47. MERL ANGUS. Body elongated: three dorsals: 

 two anals : no barbule on the chin : ventrals with six rays. 



48. MERLUCCIUS. Body elongated: head com- 

 pressed : two dorsals ; the first small : one anal : chin 

 without barbules. 



49- LOTA Body slender, elongated, compressed be- 

 hind : two dorsals ; the first short ; the second dorsal, as 



* I have followed Cuvier in the arrangement of the genera belonging to this family. It may be 

 questioned, however, whether those which he has adopted are all of them groups of equal value, 

 and whether some might not with more propriety be lowered to a subordinate rank. Without 

 an extensive acquaintance with foreign species, it would be presumptuous to decide this point. 



