21 6 



CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



cheloniform order, and at that particular part which 

 forms a passage to the Apodes. Now this passage, as 

 we conceive, is effected by that singular-looking fish — 

 scarcely less grotesque than the Lophius — familiarly 

 called the lump (Cydopterus lumpus*): both these 

 have their skeleton more or less cartilaginous, particu- 

 larly the latter, which, by the intervention of Liparis, 

 becomes intimately connected with Lepidogaster and the 

 genus Gobiesox. The passage from these to the eel- 

 shaped genera, is obviously effected by Cuvier's genus 

 Alabes: from this we have an uninterrupted series of 

 forms through the two typical families of the Murce- 

 nidcE and the Synbranchidce : these latter, again, are 

 closely connected to the Sternarchidce ; and thus we are 

 led to the last and most imperfect of all fishes, namely, 

 the Petromyzonidce : between some of these latter and 

 Liparis, as well as with our new genus Rupisuga, there 

 is an obvious affinity; and thus, having returned once 

 more to the Cyclopteridce, the outlines of the circle be- 

 come sufficiently marked to make us believe that the 

 whole form a natural group. 



(190.) Nevertheless, from not having finished, at 

 present, the analysis of this order in its more minute de- 

 tails, we feel some lurking doubts as to the precise situ- 

 ation of the family Petromyzonidce, or, rather, of some of 

 its genera. The analogies, however, of the other groups 

 to those of the orders, appear sufficiently strong to lay 

 before the reader: they may be stated as follows: — 



Analogies of the Apodal Order. 



Families of . , . Orders of 



the Apodes. 



Analogies. FlsH£s _ 



1. Munenid*. [ Sk , e J e £ n osseous = the mos l I Acanthopteryges. 

 »x«/4c«.i«c. £ highly organised. J 



2. Gymnarchidce. Sub-typicaL Malacopteryges. 



<j r.^im*^^^ C" Head broad ; the snout de- 7 r AD „ IT ._.__„ 



3. CyclopteridcE. J pressed ^ obtuse j Cartilagines. 



4. Petromyxonidce. \ ^^™SJ* ; m ° Uth Small 'j Plectog.vathes. 



5. Sternarchidce. Tail excessively long. Apodes. 



* See the figure, and an interesting description of its habits, in Mr. 

 Yarrell's Brit. Fishes. 



