36 THE ANGLEE-NATUEALIST. 



CHAPTER III. 



GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF FISH. 



Fishes are divided into 



Series, 



Orders, 



Families, 



Genera, and 



Species. 



[Sometimes, for the sake of convenience, Families are further sepa- 

 rated into Divisions or Subdivisions, and Genera into Subgenera.] 



The two grand series of fishes consist of, (1) those pos- 

 sessing bony skeletons, which are called True, or Bony, 

 fishes ; and (2) those which have skeletons of cartilage or 

 gristle, which are called Cartilaginous fishes, or Chondro- 

 pterygii. The latter also want some bones of the jaws, 

 and have other peculiarities. 



The TRUE, or BONY, FISHES are divided into six 

 Orders, viz. : — 



Order I. Acanthopterygii, or Spiny-finned Fishes. (From 

 Gr. acantha, a spine, and pterygion, a fin.) — In 

 this Order the first portion of the back-fin, or first 

 back-fin when there are two, always has spinous 

 rays or supports — which are also found in the anal 

 and ventral fins. This Order has no great divisions, 

 but contains fifteen Families. 



