350 



PIPEFISHES, OR SEA ADDERS. 



SYNGNATHI. 



A character of this remarkable family of fishes is, that in 

 front of the eyes the snout is lengthened into a tube, at the 

 end of which is the mouth; which is small, with the angle 

 depressed, so that the lower jaw closes on it like a cover. 

 Gill-cover formed of a bony plate, with a small opening to the 

 gills high on the side; the processes or aerating fibres of the 

 gills divided into small round tufts, that are arranged in pairs 

 along their supporting arches. It is from this structure that 

 Cuvier terms these fishes Lophobranchiati, or having tufted 

 gills. The body is covered with regularly arranged plates, 

 which tend to produce an angular appearance through its 

 length. 



