320 PISCES. 



Cyp. auratus, L. (The Golden Carp or Gold and Silver Fish.) Dorsal 

 and anal spines dentated as in the Common Carp. This fish is at first 

 blackish and by degrees assumes that splendid golden red which charac- 

 terizes it; some, however, are of a silver colour, and others again are marked 

 by various shades of the three colours. Individuals are found without a 

 dorsal, others have a very small one; the caudal of a third is very large and 

 is divided into three or four lobes; the eyes of a fourth are excessively dis- 

 tended; all these accidental changes, which are the result of domestication, 

 may be variously combined. 



To the other subdivisions belong the Breams, Gudgeons, Tenches, 

 Suckers, &c. 



CoBiTis, Lin. 



The head small, body elongated, invested with small scales and covered 

 with mucus; ventrals very far back and above them a single small dorsal; 

 the mouth at the extremity of the snout, but slightly cleft, without teeth, 

 but encircled by lips fitted for sucking, and with cirri; but three rays in 

 the branchise, the apertures of which are small; the inferior pharyngeals 

 strongly dentated. 



Anableps, B1. 

 The fishes of this genus, for a long time and very improperly united with 

 the Cobites, possess very peculiar characters; the cornea and iris of their 

 very prominent eyes, which are placed under a roof formed on each side by 

 the frontal, are divided into two portions by transverse bands, so that the 

 organ of sight has two pupils, and appears to be double, although it has but 

 one crystalline and one vitreous humour, and but one retina, a peculiarity 

 of which there is no other example among vertebrated animals. 



But a single species is known; the dnabkps tetrophtalmus, Bl.; it inhabits 

 the rivers of Guiana. 



FAMILY II. 



ESOCES. 



We find no adipose fin in this family. The edge of the upper 

 jaw is formed by the intermaxillary, or when it is not completely so 

 formed, the maxillary is edentated and concealed in the thickness of 

 the lips. The fishes which compose it are extremely voracious. 

 With the exception of the Microstomas, all those that are known 

 have the dorsal opposite to the anal. Linnaeus united them in the 

 genus 



