84 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



Mustelus Cuv. 



Notidanus Cuv. 



Selache Cuv. 



Cestracion Cuv. 



Spinas Cuv. 



Centrina Cuv. 



Scymnus Cuv. 

 Zygaena Antiq. 

 Squatina Dum. 

 Pristis Lath. 

 Raia Linn. 



Rhinobatus Schn. 



Rhina Schn. 



Torpedo Antiq. 



Raia Linn. 

 Trygon Antiq. 

 Anacanthus Ehren. 

 Myliobatis Dum. 

 Rhinoptera Kuhl. 

 Cephaloptera Dum. 



2. Family. Scctorh. 



Petromyzon Linn. 

 Myxine Linn. 



Heptatremus Dum. 



Gastrobranchus Bloch. 

 Ammoccetes Dum. 



(79.) Having already offered a few general remarks on 

 the foundations of this system, we shall only advert, 

 in this place, to some objections regarding the nomen- 

 clature of. certain groups. M. Cuvier, in making his 

 divisions of the Linnsean genera, generally places the 

 original name for designating the group ; but in several 

 instances he gives to every one of his divisions a new 

 name ; so that, although it seems at first as if the Lin- 

 nsean denomination was preserved, it is, in fact, com- 

 pletely done away with, and only remains an indication 

 of a genus not adopted. One instance of this will suf- 

 fice to explain our meaning. The well known genus 

 Gadus is divided, very properly, into several others, 

 but is not retained or restricted to any one ; so that, if we 

 adopt all M. Cuvier's new generic names, we must totally 

 reject, as such, the genus Gadus: no such group, conse- 

 quently, is to be found in the Regne Animal. As this, 

 we presume, never could have been intended by the 

 illustrious author, we have retained this and other 

 original names to that division of a Linneean genus 

 which seems to us the most typical. M. Cuvier's generic 

 names, in general, are well and harmoniously com- 

 pounded; but many have no claim on the score of 

 priority ; and a few others, as Vomer, Saurus, Barbus, 

 Sec, are founded on principles which he himself has 

 rejected in all other instances : these blemishes have 

 therefore been corrected, and that name adopted which 

 has the priority.* 



* Another practice has recently been introduced by one or two foreign 

 naturalists of some eminence, who do not appear to be aware of the con- 

 sequences to which it leads; we think it, however, almost as objectionable 



