258 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



upon the tongue. Let us next compare Piabucus and 

 Mattotus. Of all the types of the Characinte, Piabucus 

 is that which has the longest anal fin, which, in two out 

 of the three species figured hy Bloch*, is equal to one 

 half the length of the body. Now it will be remembered 

 that MaMotus is the only type of the European salmon hav- 

 ing this fin very conspicuously lengthened. The pectoral 

 fins of both are more than usually developed ; but in one 

 they are pointed, and in the other rounded: while the two 

 types, in other respects, are sufficiently distinct to check 

 any suspicion of their being any real affinity between 

 them. The slight protuberance of the belly in Piabucus 

 argentinus appears an indication of its being followed 

 by Gasteropelicus, which, in the vertical position of its 

 little mouth, is such a complete representation of Ana- 

 stomas, among the true salmon, that whatever may be 

 the situation of the two, they must always stand as re- 

 presentatives, not merely of each other, but of all the 

 chironectiform types in ichthyology. There yet remains 

 the singular genus Cynodonf of Spix among the Ame- 

 rican salmon, which differs from all others by the ex- 

 cessive wideness of its mouth, armed with long, slender, 

 pointed teeth of various sizes. Its long anal fin shows 

 its relation to Characinus, and the slight protuberance of 

 its belly to Gasteropelicus ; but if these two peculiarities 

 are set aside, the reader will immediately recognise in 

 the foregoing description a counterpart of Laurida, 

 whose wide mouth and long slender teeth are altogether 

 unique among the salmons of Europe. 



(226.) That the above analogies may be brought to- 

 gether at one view, we now subjoin the annexed table, 

 leaving it for future ichthyologists to determine the rank 

 of the different groups it contains. 



* P. argentinus, Bl. 382., fig. 1.; bimaculatus, ib. fig. 2. 



t The genus Synodus of Gronovius is supposed by Cuvier to rest upon a 

 fish which he thinks is a Laurida, whose small adipose [dorsal had ac- 

 cidentally been omitted by;the artist, or broken in the specimen. This may 

 possibly be the case ; and yet the remarkable correctness of all the figures 

 of Gronovius, and his great accuracy as an ichthyologist, renders it equally 

 probable that this figure represents a fish unknown to modern ichthyolo- 

 gists. 



