366 



CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



With these two genera, we follow Cuvier in placing an- 

 other, which he has named Lebia (L. elipsoides.fig.gS.), 

 which differs in nothing from Poecilia but in having 



the teeth (a) serrated — a very questionable ground 

 for generic difference when unsupported by any other 

 character, We esteem ourselves fortunate in being able 

 to present our readers with correct figures of these rare 

 and interesting fishes, all represented of their natural 

 size, from the masterly delineations of Le Sueur. 



(29T-) Hitherto, however, notwithstanding the ana- 

 logy of these viviparous genera (and more especially of 

 Anabl&ps) to the cartilaginous order, we have men- 

 tioned no fish which externally possessed any resem- 

 blance to the latter, or gave us any idea that the 

 Cob'xt'idcE really exhibited any such modification of 

 form as a flat head, large pectorals, and a transverse 

 mouth, placed beneath a projecting snout, — characters, 

 in fact, which every one knows are prevalent through 

 all the cartilaginous types, and, therefore, peculiarly cha- 

 racteristic of them. There are, however, among the 

 Indian drawings published by Hardwick and Gray, 

 the figures of two species of their genus Balitora, 

 which completely realises these particulars. No de- 

 scriptions to these plates having yet been published, and 

 not being aware that this genus has ever been defined 

 by Mr. Gray, we can only be guided by the figures ; but 

 these leave us in little doubt as to the natural station of 

 these singular fishes among the malacopterygious fami- 

 lies. A glance at the figures here given of Balitora Bricei 



