28S A HISTORY OF 



k^oft-Jinned Abdominal Fisk. 



39. The Loricaria. The body crusted over; the head broad with 

 a beak ; no teeth ; the fin covering the gills with six rays. 



40. The Atlierina or Athcrine. The body oblong; the head of a 

 middling size; the lips indented; the fin covering the gills with 

 pix rays ; the line on the sides resembling a silver band. 



41. The Salmo or Salmon. The body oblong ; the head a little 

 sharp ; the fin covering the gills from four to ten rays; the last fin 

 on the back, without its correspondent muscle : fat. 



42. The Fistularia. The body angular, in form of a spindle; the 

 head pipe-fashion, with a beak ; the fin covering the gills with seven 

 rays; the under jaw covering the upper. 



43. The Esox or Pike. The body round ; the head with a beak ; 

 the under jaw pierced longitudinally with small holes; the fin cover- 

 ing the gills with from seven to twelve rays. 



44. The Argentina or Argentine. The body a little round and 

 slender ; the head with a beak, broader than the body ; the fin co- 

 vering the gills with eight rays ; a spurious back fin. 



45. The Clupea or Herring. The body a little oblong ; the head 

 with a small beak ; the fin covering the gills with eight rays. 



46. The Exocetas or Flying-jisli. The body oblong ; the head 

 almost three-cornered; the fin covering the gills with ten rays ; the 

 pectoral fins placed high, and as long as the whole body ; the back 

 fin at the extremity of the back. 



47. The Cyprinus or Carp. The body elongated, almost round ; 

 the head with a small beak ; the hinder part of the bone covering 

 the gills, marked with a crescent ; the tin covering the gills with three 

 rays. 



48. The Cobitis or Loach. The body oblong : almost equally 

 broad throughout; the head small, a little elongated ; the eyes in the 

 hinder part of the head ; the fin covering the gills from four to six 

 rays ; the covers of the gills closed below. 



49. The Amia or Bonito. The body round and slender ; the head, 

 forehead, and breast, without skin ; the fin covering the gills with 

 twelve rays; two beards from the nose. 



50. The Mormyrus. The body oblong ; the head elongated ; the 

 fin covering the gills with a single ray ; the opening to the gills is 

 linear, and has no bone covering them. 



Such is the system of Mr. Gouan ; by reducing to which any fish 

 that offers, we can know its rank, its affinities, and partly its anatomy, 

 all which make a considerable part in its natural history. But, to 

 show the use of this system still more apparently, suppose I meet with 

 a fish, the name to me unknown, of which I desire to know something 

 more. The way is first to see whether it be a cartilaginous fish, 

 which may be known by its wanting fins to open and shut the gills, 

 which the cartilaginous kinds are wholly without. If I find that it 

 Las them, then it is a spmous fish ; and in order to know its kind I 

 examine its fins, whether they be prickly or soft : I find them soft ; 

 *t is therefore to be ranked among the soft-finned fishes. 1 then ex- 



