148 



Malacopteeous Abdominals.- 



-FISHES.- 



-Salmonoids. 



13 retailed at a Spanish dollar pur quart bottle. Red 

 rice is a glutinous variety of the common rice steeped 

 iu an infusion of cochineal, and is imported from China 

 at an expense of a quarter of a dollar per pound. The 

 Cljineso settled in the Straits of Malacca prepare a 

 similar condiment from other fishes {Pohjncini) out 

 in slices, and from prawns. 



Family IX.— SALMONOIDS (Salmomthe). 

 riato 3, tiss. U, 15. 



A family composed of Malacoptorous Cycloid Abilo- 

 dominals, with a soft raylcss second dorsal called an 

 adipose lin ; the upper border of the mouth formed by 

 the premaxillaries and maxillaries conjointly ; largo 

 and simple air-bladder, without contractions ; numerous 



pyloric cssca ; pseudobranchise on the gill-cover ; a 

 moderate number of branchiostcgals ; and bony gill- 

 rakers. The genera are — Salino, Fario, Salar, Osmc- 

 russ, Malloliis, Argmlina, Tltymallus, Coregonus, and 

 Stenodiis, comprising the Salmons, Trouts, Graylings, 

 Gwyniads, and other well-known fishes of our rivers 

 and lakes. So much has been published on their natu- 

 ral history, and on angUng and other modes of taking 

 them, in popular works, that we may be excused from 

 entering into detail here on these sidrjects. Tliey are 

 natives of the northern hemisphere, and scarcely go 

 southwards beyond the 30lh parallel of latitude, not 

 liaving been detected beyond the northern slope of the 

 Himalayas and of Mount Atlas in the eastern hemi- 

 sphere, or the high lands of Mexico in the western, but 

 they are exceedingly numerous in the temperate and 



Scouler 9 Salmon (Salmo scouleri). 



colder regions to the north. Many of them which 

 resemble the Clupeoids in external form, may bo readily 

 distinguished by the presence of the adipose (in, and 

 the absence of serratnrcs on the belly. 



Large Indian populations are supported in raiport'si 

 Ijand and on the west coast of America by tlie fisheries 

 of Salmon and Gwyniads, and the species of tlie latter 

 known in Arctic America as the Wliite-fish, is scarcely 

 equalled, certainly not excelled, by any other fisli as 

 an article of diet. The great St. Lawrence lakes yield 

 vast quantities to the commerce of the United States ; 

 and similar species, nearly as much prized, inhabit the 

 waters of Northern Asia. Mr. Atkinson speaks of tlio 

 Omul [Corcfjonus) as being caught in enormous quanti- 

 ties in Lake Baikal, from whence it is sent preserved by 

 salt to all parts of Siberia. He says that it is a deli- 

 cious fish when fresh, and when pickled is equal to the 

 best Dutch herring. 



Famiia- X.— CHARACINOIDS {Chamchmlfv). 



This family group was by Linnc-eus included in his 

 comprehensive genus Salmo, but Miiller and Troschel 

 separated them, expounding their reasons for doing so 

 in an able monagi'apli published in their " floras lehthyo- 

 logica;." Most of the family are South American, 

 African, or Asiatic fluviatile fishes, comparatively few 

 being oceanic. 



Tliey are characterized as Abdominal Malacopteres, 

 with soaleless heads, but covered on their bodies with 

 cycloid scales (a few only having naked bodies) ; pos- 



sessing no pseudobranchia' ; having the orifice of the 

 mouth formed of the premaxillaries, maxillarie.s, and 

 mandible; villiform pliaryngeal teeth; a ca;cal storaaeli; 

 numerous pancreatic cseca ; and an air-bladder divided 

 into two chambeis by a transverse constriction, its 

 fore-chamber being connected to tlie acoustic organ by 

 a chain of ossicles. There are a few instances among 

 these fish of an air-bladder with one chamber only. 

 The pneumatic tube issues from the posterior chamber, 

 or much more rarely from the constriction between the 

 chambers. Branchiostcgals four or five in number. 

 These fishes generally have smooth bellies, in which 

 they differ from the Ilalecoids ; but some, as Tomctes, 

 liave the keel of the belly serrated like the herrings. 

 Like the typical Salmonoids they have an adipose 

 posterior dorsal lin. 



The genera are — Cunmatiis; Anodiis (Spix); Proclflmhix ; 

 Stevardia (GUI); Microdits (Knav); Lcporhms; ChUodus (}\\\. 

 11. Fr.) ; Epiajrtiis ; Parodmi ; Salm-hnis ; I/emiodns ; Ciihnr- 

 inns ; Schizodon (Agassiz) ; Ehytiodns (Kner) ; Piahuca ; Dh- 

 tichodus ; Nemidopoma (Gill) ; Pwciluvichthifs (id.) ; Cortjnn- 

 poma (id.); Plecoglossus; Tetragonopterus; Brycanops (Kner); 

 Pn/cJiins; Piahucina; Giisiropclecus; Alesles; Myletcs; Tom<:l<^; 

 J\Iijlais; Myhsinvs; Cludvcu^ ; Chalcimts ; Scrrasa/ino ; Py;/"- 

 Ci'iitfus ; Pyyoprlstls ; Culoprioil ; Jlydrocyon ; CyunpoUimutt ; 

 Cynodon ; AponuUes ; Xiphorhamphvs or XiplmrhyncJnts ; 

 Xiphoslonm ; Salanx ; Plydropardus; Gonostoma; C/ittuUodut: ; 

 Astronesihes (Richardson) ; Aplochiion* 



The Characinoids may be considered as the tropical 



* PSrythrinns and Macrodon placed in this family by Miiller 

 are, in consequence of wanting the adipose fin, ranged by Agassiz 

 alter the Ilalecoids. Midacosteits of Ayres also wants tlie flu. 



