ORDER I. BONY FISHES. ACANTHOPTERYGIL (SPINY-FINS). 157 
the latter, for the sunbeam is Nature’s pencil, down even to the deepest fish 
or pearl shell.” 
Curanaxvamores. — These fishes differ from the above in having the head 
oblong and less elevated. The other sub-genera are the Centrolophes, Pter- 
aclis, and Astrodermus. The last is found only in the Mediterranean. It 
has a very long dorsal. The body is silvery, spotted with black, and the 
fins are red. 
Te te (Ribbon-shaped Fishes). — These singular-looking creatures 
compose the Aighth Family of the Acanthropterygii. They have long 
bodies, flattened on the sides, and very small scales. They are separated 
into three tribes ; those comprised in the first have an elongated muzzle, the 
mouth deeply cleft, and armed with strong, trenchant teeth, and the lower 
jaw projecting beyond the upper. There are two genera. 
Lermworus. — The Seabbard-fish. It derives its name from the peculiar 
form of the ventrals, “which are merely two scaly plates. The body is 
thin and long. One species, L. argyreus, is sometimes found four or five 
feet in length. It often swims with the head out of the water, and is ex- 
tremely rapid in its motions.” 
Tricniurus (Hair-tail).— These fishes have many characters like the 
last, but “have no ventral, anal, or caudal fins, excepting a few little spines 
on the ‘under side of the tail, which terminates in a hair-like point.” When 
seen laterally in the beams of the sun, they appear like “ beautiful silver rib- 
bons.” There are several species in the Indian Ocean. One, 7. Lepturus, 
is found in the Atlantic. It is of a shining, silvery color, with grayish- 
yellow fins, the dorsal mottled with black on the edge, and the irides are 
golden. 
The second tribe is composed of such of the Twnide as have the mouth 
small and little cleft. 
Gyuyerrus. — The fishes comprehended in this genus have a long and 
flat body, with a long dorsal, but no anal fin. They are remarkably tender, 
their bones soft, their fins extremely frail, and their flesh rapidly decomposes. 
They inhabit the Atlantic, Arctic, and Indian oceans, and the Mediter- 
ranean, and are sometimes found ten feet long. 
SryLernorus. — This genus has a caudal fin like the last, though not so 
long; “and instead of the tail ending in a hook in the middle of the fin, as 
it does there, it is produced in a filament longer than the body.” 
The third tribe consists of three genera, which have the muzzle short, and 
cleft obliquely. 
Seroia. — This genus has a long dorsal and anal fin, and the top of the 
cranium flattened. The Red Snake-fish belongs to this group. 
NO XV. 73 
