ORDER HETRO-MALACOPTERYGIA. 



FAMILY CYPRINOIDA. CARP. 



117 



the purpose of catching those fish on which they prey. They may be sepa- 

 rated into two divisions ; 1, those with beards (Cirrhi), and 2, those without 

 beards on their lips. 



The illustrated species, the Surinam Frog, or Toad Fish (Plate 5), 

 belongs to the latter division. It is about sixteen inches long; mouth 

 smooth ; anterior dorsal fin having three spines ; ventral having nine rays, 

 rounded ; scales oblong ; vent nearer the head ; lateral line straight. It 

 inhabits Surinam. 



LABRUS. The numerous individuals composing this genus are very 

 generally distributed, some in the northern and others in the southern seas. 

 They are divided into several subgenera. 



Plate 5 contains an illustration of one species, the Flesh-coloured Bergil, 

 or Red Wrasse (L. Carneus). It is destitute of pores on the head ; its body 

 is red, with three large black spots on each side ; dorsal, anal, and caudal 

 fins edged with blue. 



SCARUS Parrot Fish. The fishes forming this genus are usually known 

 by the name of Parrot Fish, on account of the form of their jaws and the 

 brilliancy of their colours. They are principally natives of the tropical seas. 



The species S. Cretensis, or Cretan Scarus, is about thirteen inches in 

 length, the forehead depressed ; dorsal fin low, commencing immediately 

 behind the head, and extending along nearly the whole length of the back ; 

 tail crescent-shaped. According to Aldrovandi, the general colour of the 

 fish is greenish-yellow above, and the head and sides dusky-green; but 

 Cuvier says it is blue or red, varying with the season. It is taken off the 

 shores of Crete, and being pickled with the entrails undisturbed is used as 

 food by the natives. Cuvier considers it to be the Scarus of the ancients, 

 and by them esteemed as a great luxury. 



Other genera of this family : 



LABRAX, a very voracious fish, found in the seas of Kamtschatka. 



NovACUiuE and XIRICTHYS Razor Fish. Both allied to the Labri. 



FISTULARIA. The true Fistidariee have but one dorsal fin, composed of 

 single rays, as is also the anal ; and from between the two portions of the 

 caudal fin extends a thread often as long as the body ; the mouth is furnished 

 with small teeth ; the tube long and flattened. Among these may be enu- 

 merated the Tobacco-pipe Fish (F. Tabaccaria), figured on Plate 5 ; the 

 F. Serrata, and the F. Immacidata. 



CENTRISCUS Trumpet Fish. The Sea Woodcock (C. Scolopax) is about 

 four inches in length ; has the first dorsal fin situated very far back, the first 

 spine of which is very long and strong, and attached by the cuirass to head 

 and shoulders ; the muzzle very long and slender, so as to give it the appear- 

 ance of a Woodcock's bill or the nozzle of a pair of bellows ; the general 

 colour of the fish is a delicate red ; it is covered with small scales, but has 

 some larger serrated scales on the back. Native of the Mediterranean, and 

 sold in the markets of Italy, where it is considered a dainty. 



ORDER II. HETRO-MALACOPTERYGIA. ABDOMINAL 

 SOFT-FINS. 



THE Order Malacopterygii (Jointed-fin Fishes) comprises fishes which 

 have ventral fins suspended to the abdomen, behind the pectorals, and un- 

 attached to the shoulder-bones. They are the most numerous order of the 

 Class Pisces, including a large portion of fresh-water Fishes. 



ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES. 



PLATE 6. 

 Family CARPS ; Cyprinoida. 



The Cyprinoida have shallow mouths, feeble jaws, sometimes without 

 teeth, pharynx toothed, and scaly body. 



Genera. Species. Common Name. 



Cyprinus - - - Carpio ----- Carp. 

 Cobitis - - - - Fossilis Muddy Loach. 



Anableps - - - Tetropthalmus - - - Four-eye. 



Family PIKES; Esocida. 



The members of the Pike family are characterised for their voracity ; all 

 of them are provided with an air-bladder; and they are destitute of an 

 adipose dorsal fin. 



Genera. Specie*. Common Name. 



Esox ----- Lucius ----- Pike. 

 Exocoetus . - - - Exiliens .... Flying-fish. 



Family SHEET-FISH ; Siluroida. 



The Silures have no scales ; their skin is either naked or covered with 

 large bony plates ; they have a large air-bladder, and a strong articulated 



spine. 



Silurus - - - - Glanis ----- Sheet-fish. 



Pimelodes - - - Cyclopura. 



Loricaria - - - Cirrhosa. 



CHARACTERS OF THE GENERA. 



1. CYPRINUS (Gr. Kvirplvoe). Mouth small, jaws without teeth ; three 

 flat rays to each gill ; large teeth on the pharynx ; one dorsal fin ; body 

 covered with scales. 



2. COBITUS (Gr. cbj/3(oc, gobius, a Gudgeon). Head small ; body 

 lengthened, almost of an equal thickness, and covered with small scales ; 

 mouth, small, placed underneath the tip of the muzzle, without teeth, and 

 provided with lips fit for sucking, and with cirrhi ; gill openings very 

 small, the gills having only three rays ; the ventral fins placed far back, and 

 above them a very small dorsal fin. 



3. ANABLEPS. Two openings to each eye ; eyes prominent, placed 

 under a sort of roof formed by the side of the frontal ; characters in other 

 respects like the genus Cobitis. 



1. Esox. Head flattened; upper jaw shorter than lower; mouth and 

 throat wide ; jaws, tongue, and branchial arches furnished with fine and 

 sharp teeth ; operculum and branchial orifice very large ; body and tail 

 long, compressed laterally, and covered with hard scales ; no adipose, and 

 only one dorsal fin placed opposite the anal, both of which are near the 

 tail. 



2. EXOCCETUS (Gr. i^ia, extra, and KO'ITTI, cubile, so named from an opinion 

 given by Pliny, that it left the water to sleep ashore). Head almost entirely 

 covered with minute scales, and flattened both vertically and laterally ; each 

 jaw armed with small pointed teeth, and molar teeth in the throat ; pectoral 

 fins very broad, and long enough to reach the tail, which is forked ; single 

 dorsal fin opposite the anal. 



1. SlLURUS (Gr. miu, I shake, and ovpa, a tail). Head large, naked, 

 broad, and depressed ; mouth at the extremity of the muzzle, and furnished 

 with teeth, either in a single or in several rows ; jaws furnished with bar- 

 bules, varying from four to eight ; lips thick ; eyes small, and in some species 

 almost imperceptible ; body compressed, scaleless, and freely lubricated 

 with mucus ; dorsal fin short and single ; anal fin very long, and nearly 

 reaching the tail. 



2. PIMELODUS (Gr. Tr^itX)), fat). General characteristics nearly the 

 same as those of Silurus. 



3. LORICARIA (Lat. lorica, a coat of mail). Head and body covered 

 with hard, angular scales ; mouth placed beneath the muzzle, small, lips 

 thin ; intermaxillaries small ; maxillaries transverse, ununited, furnished 

 with long, delicate, flexible teeth, hooked at the point ; those in the throat 

 blunt ; true opercules immoveable, their place supplied by two small, 

 external plates ; branchial membrane bearing four rays ; the first rays of the 

 dorsal, pectoral, and ventral fins, are strong spines. 



CYPRINOIDA, ESOCIDA, SILUROIDA. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES. 



CYPRINUS Carp. The Carps form a large, but not very interesting 

 genus ; they live in fresh water, and, as the structure of their teeth would 

 prove, principally upon vegetable substances. They have been divided 

 into the following subgenera: 1. Carps; 2. Barbels; 3. Gudgeons; 



