ICHTHYOLOGY. 



691 



t:. n .1 



riages. Th* teeth are employed by savages to point 

 their arrows, and as a substitute instead of knives. 

 ^_ r ^^. The species are all inhabitants of the sea, and are 

 very widely distributed. Their teeth are found im- 

 bedded in limestone rocks of different ages, and seem 

 to indicate that the sharks of the first ages were of a 

 much larger size than those which now exist 



GENUS VI. PRISTES. Saw-Fitk. 



Saw.fch. Snout produced, depressed, and furnished with a 

 row of teeth on each side. 



This genus, which Latham (Lin. Trans, ii. p. 273 ) 

 separated from Squalus, in imitation of the older na- 

 turalists, contains five species, distinguishable from one 

 another by the appearances of the teeth in the snout. 

 The most remarkable species is the Squalus pristes of 

 I-inna-us, now the P. antiquorum : the snout is fre- 

 quent in collections. This animal grows to the length 

 of fifteen feet. It is a native of the seas of both hemi- 

 spheres. By means of its formidable snout, it attacks 

 with success various kinds of whales, which it lacerates 

 in a dreadful manner with its lateral teeth. 



GENUS VII. SQUATINA. Angel-Fitti. 



Aaftl &ih. Body depressed, snout rounded, mouth terminal. 



This genus was long recognised by naturalists. Lin- 

 nseus united it to Squalus, and recently it has been re- 

 vived. It contains only one species, the Squalus squa- 

 tma of Linmrus. This is the mtrmaid-fuh of Arttdi, 

 which, according to some naturalists, has given rise to 

 those stories which we read and bear concerning mer- 

 maids. It is, however, more probable that there is a 

 fish, not yet described by naturalists, of an amphibi- 

 ous nature, which has been occasionally seen on our 

 coasts, and whose appearance, at a distance, bears some 

 resemblance to the human form. For a description of 

 one seen on the coast of Caithness, see the Scot* Ma- 

 gttstne for the year 1 809, p. 734. 



GENUS VIII. AODON. 



Gill-openings, five on each side ; mouth destitute of 

 teeth. 



La Cepede separated this genus from Squalus. It 

 contains three species, whose characters have been but 

 imperfectly described. Two of these were observed by 

 Fonkael in the Red Sea, and the third was observed 

 by Brunich at Marseilles. 



DIVISION II. 



Classifica- 

 tion of 

 Histies. 



tn ul. At the conclusion of this account of the cartilaginous 

 Aahe* with fixed branchite, we deem it expedient to 

 direct the attention of the reader to the sea snake which 

 was cast ashore on Stronsa, one of the islands of Ork- 

 ney, in September 1808. The anatomical characters, 

 furnished by the mutilated fragments which were sent 

 to the Wemerian Society, seem to point out a connec- 

 tion with the genus Sqnalus. But the articulated fins 

 on the side*, the form of the dorsal fin, and the length- 

 ened neck, clearly prove the propriety of the new ge- 

 nus constituted for its reception, and termed H AL&'Y- 

 IMICS, or ea snake. Scott Mag. 1 809, p. 7. 



The structure of the vertebra; of this animal has been 

 explained with great precision by that celebrated ana- 

 tomist Dr Barclay, and figures of some of the parts have 

 lieen published from the accurate drawings of Mr Syme. 

 These and the various descriptions of the animal sent 

 from Orkney, have been given to the world in the first 

 volume of the Memoir i of tke Weneria* Natural His- 



Cartilaginous fishes, destitute of a gill-lid, but fur- _ 



nished with a gill-flap. 



ORDER VI. JUGULAR. 



GENUS IX. Lormus. Angler. 



One gill opening on each side ; mouth large and ter. Angler. 

 minal. 



This genus contains about eight species. Some na- 

 turalists appear disposed to leave in this genus those 

 species in which the mouth is somewhat contracted, and 

 to form another genus (Batrachus) of the wide-mouth- 

 ed species. The L. histrio might in that case be con- 

 sidered as the type of the former, and the common 

 fishing frog (L. piscatorius) as the representative of 

 the latter. The flesh of the different species is soft, 

 and seldom used as an article of food. Pliny remarks 

 of the common angler, " that it puts forth the slender 

 horns it has beneath its eyes, enticing by that means 

 the little fish to play round, till they come within reach, 

 when it springs on them." The skin of this animal, 

 rendered transparent by oil, is sometimes used as a 

 mask, with a candle burning in it, to represent the 

 devil. 



ORDER VII. THORACIC. 



GENUS X. BALISTIS. File-Pith. 



Head and body compressed; about eight teeth in File-fob. 

 each jaw ; gill-openings narrow. 



In this genus La Cepede enumerates twenty-nine 

 species. They chiefly inhabit the seas of warm coun- 

 tries. They are remarkable for the brilliancy of their 

 colours, which are often gracefully disposed. The flesh 

 is considered as poisonous. 



ORDER VIII. ABDOMINAL. 



GENUS XI. CHIMERA. Sea-Monster. 



One gill-opening on each side of the neck; tail pro- Ses-ruon- 

 duced, and ending in a filament. tier. 



This genus consists of two species, a southern and a 

 northern. The hut of these has been repeatedly found 

 in our seas. 



DIVISION III. 



Cartilaginous fishes, with a gill lid, but destitute of a 

 gill flap. 



ORDER XII. ABDOMINAL. 

 GENUS XII. POLYODON. 



Teeth in the jaws and palate. 



\Ve owe this genus to La Cepede. It contains only 

 ne species, found preserved in spirits in the Parisian 

 museum. 



GENUS XIII. ACIPENSER. Sturgeon. 



Mouth l>earded before, without teeth, retractile, and sturgeon. 

 placed under the head. 



This genus contain: only four species, but these are 

 of considerable importance in an economical point of 

 view ; the sounds furnish isinglass and the roe caviar. 

 They live in the sea, and at times ascend the rivers in 

 troops. Thir flesh is excellent and highly prized. 



