= —-* “Sore a 
F 
Plate XIX. fig. h. sox luctus, the Pike, preys 
on all the inhabitants of fresh water, and grows 
rapidly, sometimes attaining the length of six feet. 
The pike will even attack water-birds and small 
1 
5 
mammals. It is green when young 
grows darker above; the sides are 
and the belly white, dotted with ¢ 
, but afterwards 
grey and yellow, 
grey. 
Order V. Plectognathi. 
Body short, either conical or laterally compressed. 
Head very large; upper jaw with the bones coales- 
ced; gill-openings small; fins only slightly developed, 
but the dermal covering very solid, as the leathery 
skin is generally either scaly, spiny, or covered 
with angular bony plates. 
Family I. Sclerodermida. Mouth small, armed 
with one row of oblique teeth. Body covered with 
horny plates. 
Plate XI. fig. f. Ostracton cornutus, the Horned 
Trunk-Fish, is about a foot in length, and is en- 
closed in an armour of hexagonal plates, which only 
allows it to move the head and tail. It is rendered 
still stranger in appearance by two long spines in 
front of the eyes, and two more before the tail. It 
is found in the tropical seas. 
Family Il. Gymnodontide. The jaws form a 
sharply pointed beak, without teeth, but provided 
Order VI. 
Small fishes, entirely covered with bony plates, 
mostly quadrangular, and a long tubular toothless 
snout, with a narrow mouth-cleft at the extremity. 
Gill-covers large; gills lamellated. Fins usually im- 
perfectly developed, but the dorsal fin, which acts 
like the screw of a steamship, is always present. 
They live in the sea among tangle; and the male 
(or in some genera the female) is provided with a 
pouch in which the eggs are carried about until the 
young are matured. 
Plate XII. fig. b. Syugnathus acus, the Great 
Pipefish, grows to the length of eighteen inches, and 
to the thickness of a swan-quill ; and is common in 
the Atlantic Ocean. The scales are heptagonal in 
front, pentagonal further back, and quadrangular on 
the tail. In spring, the male carries a pouch of eggs 
at the root of the tail, covered by two folds of skin 
Subclass IIL. 


with a dental plate for 
leathery, .sometimes furnished 
There is a large air-bladder, 
throat which can be inflated. 
Plate XI. fig. g. Dzodon hystrix, the Sea- 
Hedgehog is completely covered with spines. When 
it inflates its body, it becomes perfectly round, and 
is then unassailable. It inhabits the tropical seas, 
and attains a length of at least two feet. 
Plate XI. fig. h. Zetvodon stellatus is a native 
of the East Indian Seas, and can inflate itself to such 
an extent that even the head is no longer visible. 
Plate XIL fig. a. Ovthagoriscus mola, the Sun- 
fish, has a short flattened tailless body, truncated 
behind. The skeleton consists of short filaments, 
and the skin is rough and granulated. The Sunfish 
has no air-bladder, and cannot inflate itself. It is of 
occasional occurrence in the Atlantic and Mediter- 
ranean, and grows to the length of six or seven feet. 
molluscs. Skin 
with erect spines. 
and a pouch in the 
crushing 
Lophobranchi. 
Plate XII. fig. c. Hippocampus antiquorum is 
a small fish about eight inches long, found in the 
European and Eastern seas. The fishes of this 
genus are called Sea-Horses from the curious resem- 
blance of the head to that of a horse, and this re- 
semblance is increased by their generally swimming 
in an upright position. The body is seven-sided, 
and at the base of the quadrangular tail, with which 
they like to cling to the. sea-weed, is a pouch in 
the male for the reception of the eggs. 
Plate XII. fig. d. Pegasus draco, the Sea- 
Dragon, is found in the Indian Ocean, and is about 
three inches in length. The mouth is placed beneath 
the long projecting snout, the pectoral fins expand 
like great wings, and the ventral fins are reduced to 
mere threads. 
Chondropterygil. 
Fishes with a cartilaginous skeleton. 
Ganoidel. 
These form a transition to the fishes with a | 
Order I. 
bony skeleton. Their skeleton is partly cartilaginous 
and partly osseous. The gills are free, and provided 
with gill-covers. The body is generally covered with 
enamelled scales of various forms. Most fossil fishes 
belong to this Order. 
The Acipenseride are long fishes with a carti- 
laginous skeleton, and 5 longitudinal rows of enamel- 
led bony plates on the skin. The snout is prolonged 
into a beak, and the oblique mouth is toothless. 
They are found in the seas of both hemispheres, but 


ascend large rivers to spawn, and feed on other fish, 
notwithstanding their toothless jaws. 
Plate XI. fig. c. Acipenser sturio, the Sturgeon, 
which is found in the ‘European seas, usually attains 
a length of nine feet, and sometimes grows to twice 
that size, and weighs 800 pounds. The colour 
bluish- gree n, varied Pwith brown and blackish markings. 
It is an important object of trade in Russia, where its 
roe is made into caviare, and its air-bladder into isinglass 
Plate XI. fig. d. Aczpenser huso which is found 
in the Black Sea and sometimes in the Mediterranean, 
is 
