CHAPTER III 



THE STURGEON 



Appearance — Habits, 



First Sub-Class . PAL^ICHTHYES : ARCHAIC FISHES 



Second Order . . Ganoidei: Ganoid Fishes 

 Fourth Sub-Order Chondrostei : Gristly Fishes 



The sub-class Talaichthyes^ as its title implies, embraces 

 the most ancient types of fish known. It stands, says 

 Dr. Gilnther, in similar relation to the Teleostei^ or Bony- 

 framed Fishes, as the marsupials do to placental mammals. 

 It is divided into two orders — the CJiondropterygii^ or Gristly- 

 finned Fishes, consisting of the sharks and rays, and the 

 Ganoidei^ or Ganoid Fishes, to which belongs the only indi- 

 vidual in the sub-class frequenting British fresh waters. The 

 fourth sub-order in this sub-class is named Chondrostei^ or 

 Gristly Fishes, and this again is divided into two families — 

 the <iAcipenserida^ or Sturgeon Family, and the Folyodontida^ 

 or Many-toothed Family. 



ACIPENSERID^: THE STURGEON FAMILY 



Although inferior in rank of organisation to the Teleostei, 

 or Bony Fishes, the Sturgeons may claim the first place in 

 the list of British fresh-water fish, not merely because they 

 exceed all others in size — might gives no right in classifica- 

 tion — but because of the position of their family and order 



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