GENERAL REMARKS ON FISH. 



57 



the belly ; in the Acanthopterygii, they are just below the 

 pectorals, or very near them; the anal fin in both is just 

 behind the anus or vent; the caudal, the hindmost fin, is 

 commonly called the tail. 



Of fish that come under the notice of the angler, the Mala- 

 copterygii embrace those that are called " abdominal," from 

 having the ventral-fins on the belly. The Acanthopterygii 

 include the "thoracic," which have the ventrals near the 

 throat. Some families of the former division have only one 

 dorsal fin, others two, and some even three, as the Codfish. 

 The Acanthopterygii have either one or two dorsals ; if only 

 one, the anterior rays are spinous, and the posterior soft and 

 flexible ; if they have two dorsals, the first is composed of 

 sharp spines, and the second of rays, or one or two spines 

 followed by soft rays: this division has also one or more 

 spines on the pectorals and on the anal fin. With the excep- 

 tion of the Salmoriidse and Esocidse, nearly all of the game- 

 fish the angler meets with, belong to the Acanthopterygii. 

 The Acanthopterygii belong to the order of Ctenoids, and 

 the Malacopterygii mostly to the Cycloids. 



