52 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



believed in their existence ! We doubt not^ however^ 

 the type in question will some day be discovered_, and 

 in the mean time, as the relation between Cepola and 

 Lophotes is given in Cuvier's own words, it will be 

 received with that confidence and authority which ours 

 may not. But we must now pass to another tribe. 



CHAP. V. 



ON THE CANTHILEPTES, OR SPINE-CHEEKED TRIBE. 



(51.) The fourth tribe of the spiniferous order, whi<?h 

 we propose to distinguish by the name of Caxthileptes^ 

 from their prickly scales, corresponds in a great measure to 

 that denominated Jones Cuirassees, by M. Cuvier. We 

 seldom, if ever, wish to alter the names of large groups, 

 but in the present order, where the primary divisions 

 are so well characterised by the nature of their scales, it 

 appears desirable to name the present gioup from that 

 character most typical of itself, and of the numerous 

 representations in this class. The Canthileptes, in fact, 

 are the mailed fishes of the spiniferous order, just as the 

 BaVistes are among the semicartilaginous, and the 

 SiluridcB in the soft-rayed order. We have already 

 adverted to these analogies, no less remarkable than 

 harmonious ; and we shall, therefore, at once take a 

 general survey of the principal groups under which the 

 whole appear to be naturally arranged : we may pre- 

 mise, however, that we exclude from these " mailed 

 cheeks," of jM. Cuvier, the Gasterostri, or sticklebacks, 

 which are evidently the representations only of this 

 tribe among the Microleptes. The structure, again, of 

 Trichodon, places it, as we conceive, in a natural arrange- 

 ment with the ScorpcEmd(S rather than vrith the perches. 

 The affinity of Uranoscopus and Trachinus to Cottus 

 and BatrachuSj &c., has been so universally believed 



