32 



THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



1. The Pectoral*, or breast-fins, A (so called from their 

 being placed on the breast or shoulder of the fish) . 



2. The Dorsal, or back-fins, E E. 



3. The Ventral fins, B (named from their position on 

 the belly). 



4. The Anal fin, C (placed close behind the anal aper- 

 ture) . 



5. The Caudal, or tail-fin, D. 



(F marks the lateral, or side, line.) 



•^%i^iiM^ 



This list includes the names of all the different kinds 

 of fins possessed by any fish, though the numbers and 

 arrangements of them vary in almost every family, — some 

 fish, such as the Salmon for instance, having two dorsal 

 fins — and others, as the Eel, lacking the ventrals altogether. 

 But of fresh- water fish inhabiting British lakes and rivers, 

 all except the Lampreys and Eels possess the whole of the 

 above complement of fins. 



Of these, the pectorals are considered to answer to arms 

 or fore legs in other animals, and the ventrals to the hinder 



* These names are derived from tlie Latin pectus, the breast ; dorsum, 

 the back ; venter, the belly ; anus, the vent ; cauda, the tail. 



