

COLLECTION OF FISH. 429 



species (r.cephaloptera), which from the singu- 

 lar form of its fins has established the sub-genus 

 cephaloptera ; its head is truncated, and the pec- 

 toral fins, instead of uniting with it, are extended 

 and give the animal the appearance of having two 

 horns ; it is the giorna ray of Risso, Ichtyol. of 

 Nice. On the ceiling is another species from Brazil. 



The last species of the selacians is that of the 

 chimseras, of which we have two species: the 

 one from our seas (c. borealis], which is called 

 the king of the herrings, because it is found at the 

 head of those wandering fish, is remarkable for 

 having its tail continued into a long and slender 

 filament, and for the short upright process with 

 a fringed tip on its head ; the other from the An- 

 tarctic seas (c .australis),much resembling the for- 

 mer,but having its upper lip extended into a length- 

 ened cartilaginous appendage bent downwards. 



After the chimaeras comes the family of the 

 ^turgeons (accipenser] , which is divided into 

 two genera. We have four species of sturgeon: 

 two large specimens of the most common spe- 

 cies are attached to the ceiling; of the swim- 

 ming bladder of this fish isinglass is fabricated, 

 and caviar', a dish much sought for amongst the 

 inhabitants of the north, is made of its spawn. 



Near the sturgeons is a very rare fish which 

 inhabits the fresh water in North America, 



