On the Classification of Teleostean Fishes. 295 



Supplementary Notes. 

 Saltavatin^. 

 Ltsarda inornata. 



Acanthaspis inornata, Walk. Cat. Het. vii. p. 175. n. .51 (1873). 

 Lisarda pallidispina, StSl, En. Hem. iv. p. 83 (1874). 



A CANTHASPJN.^.- 



Genus Pasira. 

 Pasira perpusiUa. 



Heduvius perpitsillus, Walk. Cat. Het. vii. p. 19G. n. 50 (1873). 



Pasira pusilla. 



Reduvius jmsillus, Walk. Cat. Het. vii. p. 193. n. 43 (1873). 



Clavus, base of corium, a linear spot near centre of apical 

 margin of corium, spots to connexivum, and extieme apices 

 of anterior femora obscure brownish ochraceous. 



XLII. — Notes on the Classification of Teleostean Fishes. — 

 IV. On the Systematic Position of the Pleuronectidse. By 

 G. A. BOULENGER, F.R.S. 



In the classification of Cuvier, at the beginning of the last} 

 century, the presence or absence of spines in the dorsal fin 

 was regarded as of so great importance in the Teleostean 

 fishes that they were primarily divided into Acanthopterygians 

 and Malacopterygians. According to the presence or absence 

 and the position of the ventral or pelvic fins, the latter division 

 was again split up into three groups — Abdominals, Sub- 

 brachials, and Apodes. The Gadoids and Pleuronectids were 

 thus brought together as Subbrachial Malacopterygians. 

 When Johannes Miillcr took up the condition of the air- 

 bladder as a basis for the establishment of higher groups, 

 these Subbrachial Malacopterygians were removed from the 

 Abdominals or Physostonies and placed nearer the Acantho- 

 pterygians, but remained associated under the name Anacan- 

 thini. And so they have been in most classifications, even 

 modern text-books teaching us that flat-fishes are only modified 

 asymmetrical Gadoids. But any one who will carefully 

 compare the anatomical structure of the principal members of 

 these two families cannot fail to recognize the absurdity of 



