780 FISHES — ^ANGUILLID^, 



SUB-CLASS TELEOSTEI. THE BONY FISHES. 



Skeleton more or less ossified ; tail homooercal, or at least not evidently heterooeroal ; 

 optic nerves simply crossing, without ohiasma ; arterial bulb simple, witli two opposite 

 valves at its origin ; air bladder if present, not cellular. This group comprises the 

 great majority of recent fishes {teleoa, perfect ; osteon, bone). 



ORDER 6. ENCHELYCEPHALT. THE EELS. 



This order is framed by Professor Cope for the reception of those Eel-like fishes which 

 have the following osteological characters. 



Parietals in contact ; lower pair of basihyals wanting ; scapular arch suspended to an 

 anterior vertebra ; no post temporal; no symplectio ; maxillary bone absent, or connate 

 with the premaxillary, which forms the border of the mouth. Premaxillaries separated 

 on the median line by the ethmoid ; superior branohihyals and inferior and superior 

 pharyngeals well developed, the latter of four bones. Of these the fourth is largest 

 and supports the third which, with the second, is directed forwards. (Cope.) 



Among the fresh water fishes, the Eels may be known by the serpentiform body, the 

 absence of ventral fins and the long and low dorsil and anal which meet around the 

 tail; the jaws are well developed and provided with teeth. But one species occurs in 

 the waters of Ohio. {Egcheliia, eel; Itephale, head.) 



Analysis op Families of Enchblycbphali. 



'Pectoral fins present ; teeth of sides of jaw separated, not forming a continuous 

 cutting edge ANGUiLLiDiB. 6. 



FAMILY VI. ANGUILLIDiE. THE EELS. 



Body much elongated, anteriorly cylindrical, compressed behind, covered with mi- 

 nute scales which are imbedded in the skin ; mouth rather large, horizontal, the nppei 

 jaw not projecting ; teeth small, in bands, not forming a uniform cutting edge ; gill 

 openings rather narrow ; dorsal fin beginning at a considerable distance behind the head, 

 continuous with the anal around the tail. A single genus, with probably less than ten 

 species, although several hundred have been described. The Eels are cosmopolitan, and 

 inhabit all sluggish or still waters, whether brackish or fresh, in warm or temperate 

 regions. 



Genus 9. ANGUILLA. Thunberg. 



Angmlla, Thunberg. * * » 



Mm-cena, (LiNNiEUS) Bleekbb, Atl. Ich, Mur. I. (not of authors generally.) 



Type, MuroBna anguilla L , equal to Anguilla vulgaris, Tukton. 



Etymology, Latin, angmlla, Greek, egohelus, an eel. 



The characters of this genus are inolnded above. 



