390 Veriehrata. 



7. The Squamipinnes. Fish with spiny fins, with very high, much 

 compressed bodies, and with gorgeous colours ; the scales extend some way 

 on to the unpaired fins. In warm seas. 



8. The Cataphracti. Body usually without the ordinary scales, naked 

 or with large bony plates ; one of the suborbitals is well developed, and reaches 

 back to the preoperculum ; pelvic fins below the pectorals. Here belong : 

 the Sea Scorpion {Cottus scorpius), with a large head, naked skin, spines 

 on the head ; abundant in the North Sea : in the rivers of Great Britain is 

 found the small River Biill-head, or Miller's Thumb (Cottus gobio), 

 about 15 c/m. in length : the small Armed Bullhead (Agonus cataphractus), 

 with bony plates on the Ijody and with numerous barbules : the Grey 

 Gurnard (Trigla gurnardus), with mailed head; small scales; and the lowest 

 rays of the pectoral fins free, digitiform, and used in crawling ; in British seas. 

 In the Flying Gurnard (Daciylopterus voUtans) each ■pectoral &n. is dividei 

 into two portions, one of which is very large, and by its means the animal can 

 lift itself above the surface of the water ; in other respects it resembles the 

 two previous forms ; in the Mediten-anean. 



9. The Sticklebacks (Gasterosteidx) resemble the preceding family 

 as regards the suborbital bones ; the spiny -rayed portion of the dorsal fin 

 consists of free rays ; each of the pelvic fins, which are a little behind the 

 pectorals, consists of a long spiny and of a short, soft ray ; no scales, but 

 large dermal plates ; the males often build nests. The Sticklebacks [Gaster- 

 osteus) are small forms, occurring in fresh and brackish water : the Three- 

 spined Stickleback ((?. aculeatus), with thi-ee spiny rays in the dorsal fin, 

 and the Ten-spined Stickleback {G. pungitius), with about ten, both 

 in Great Britain: the Sea Stickle (Spinachia vulgaris] is exclusively 

 marine (North Sea, etc.) ; very elongate, with long, thin tail ; and fifteen free, 

 spiny rays. 



10. Mackrel family (Scomberidse). Spiny fins ; body elongate, slightly 

 compressed, with small scales ; posterior poi-tion of dorsal and anal fins bi-oken 

 up into a number of small pieces; pelvic fins below the pectorals; here 

 belong: the Mackrel (Scomber scomber), common on European coasts, and 

 the Tunny [Thynnus vulgaris), common in the Mediterranean, rarer in 

 northern seas. Allied to these are the Sucking-fish (Echeneis) ; the anterior 

 dorsal fin is modified into a, suctorial apparatus, extending on to the head, and 

 by it the animal attaches itself to large fish, ships, and so forth Further, 

 the large Sword-fish (Xiphias gladius), with the upper jaw elongate and 

 beak-like, and without pectoral fins ; abundant in the Mediterranean, also 

 occasionally in northern seas. 



11. The Blennies (Blenniidse). Body usually almost eel-like, with very 

 small scales ; usually a long dorsal and anal fin ; * pelvic fins small, in front 

 of the pectorals. Here belong: the Viviparous Blenny (Zoarces vivi- 

 parous), very abundant in the North Sea; up to 40 c/m. long: the Wolf - 

 fish (Anarrhichas lupus), large, with well- developed, strong, conical teeth in 

 front, and grinding teeth fui-ther back in the mouth ; no pelvic fins ; feeds 

 upon Lamellibranchs, etc. ; in northern seas. 



12. The Gobies (Gobius), small, with tolerably soft spiny rays, chiefly 

 distinguished by the fusion of the pelvic fins, which lie below the pectorals. To 

 another family belongs the Lump -fish (Cyclopterus Zitmpits), with the pelvic 

 fins fused, and, moreover, modified to form a sucker ; the Sea-hare is a short, 

 clumsy form with bony spines in the skin ; in British Seas. 



* In Zoarces and Anarrhichas there are a few spiny rays posteriorly in the 

 otherwise soft dorsal fin ; in the genus Centronotus (Butter-fish) the whole dorsal fin 

 consists of spiny rays ; in others, again, all the rays are soft. 



