THE 



CALCUTTA JOURNAL 



OF 



NATURAL HISTORY 



Apodal Fishes of Bengal. By J. McClelland, Bengal 

 Medical Service, 



Artedi, the author whose classification of fishes formed 

 the basis of the system proposed by Linnaeus in regard 

 to these animals, distinguishes two great classes, cartilagi- 

 nous and bony, as relates to the material of which the 

 skeleton is composed. The cartilaginous are, as every body 

 knows, the Sharks, Rais, Lampreys, &c. 



The fishes with bony skeletons being by far the most 

 numerous and diversified, are divided into three orders, 

 according as the gills are supported by bony arches, and the 

 fins by rays or spines. 



Linnaeus introduced another element into the princi- 

 ple of their classification, founded on their peculiarities in 

 regard to ventral fins, which simplified their arrangement 

 greatly. The following are the brief expressive characters 

 by which the great Swedish naturalist distinguished the class 

 of fishes into six orders : — 



1. Apodal-"- Ventral fins, none. 



% Jugular, — Gills bony, ventral fins placed before the 

 pectorals. 



vol. v. NO. XVIII. JULY, 1844. x 



