232 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



(209.) Let us now arrange this series, in the first 

 place, in juxtaposition with that of the orders of the 

 whole class, and we shall then find that all the parti- 

 culars we have stated have a double reference, — one to 

 their actual characters, and another to their analogical 

 relations. 



Analogies of the Malacopteryges and the Orders of 

 Fishes. 



Families of the <„„}„„;»<. Orders of 



Malacopteryges. Analogies. Fishes. 



Salmonid<z. Rays of the fins soft. Malacopteryges. 



PleuronectidiZ. Rays of the fins rigid. Acaxthopteryges. 



r, ,.,„ ("Ventral fins small or none; 7 a„ 



Gadide. I scales imbedded in tne skin . j Apodes. 



Silurida. Body mailed. Plectognathes. 



f Viviparous; mouth beneath the} 

 „ ...., \ muzzle, which is broad and ( „ 



CobiUdat. j depressed 3 pectoral fins very ( Cartilagines. 



(. large. J 



We have already shown that the Salmonidce are those 

 fish which have the fin-rays soft ; and as they are the 

 most highly organised of the Malacopteryges, they con- 

 sequently represent the perfection of their own order. 

 The Pleuronectidce, in a manner no less singular than 

 beautiful^ thus turn out to be prototypes of the Acanthop- 

 teryges ; for Cuvier follows his predecessors in placing 

 them in this order, to which, notwithstanding their 

 spined rays, they undoubtedly belong. The relation of 

 the Gadidce to the apodal or anguilliform order, when 

 attentively considered, will be found no less undeniable. 

 The Apodes, besides their eel or serpent formed body, 

 are mainly distinguished by the total absence of the ven- 

 tral fins : their body is slimy: the scales, which are very 

 small, appear to be imbedded in the flesh, or covered 

 by a fat skin, which extends also over the fins. Now, 

 the Gadidce have as many of these characters as it is pos- 

 sible for fishes to have, whose situation is in this order: 

 of all the Malacopteryges, they have the most imperfect 

 anal fins. In the forked hakes, or Phycis } it is reduced to 



