80 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



Analogies of the Sub-genera o/" Salarias and Blennius. 



r._j~_ e Primary Diviaon Sub-genera Sub-genera Genera Genera 



m.lS> of the of of of the of the 



tnsnes. Blennide. Blenniiis. Salarias. Blennirue. Clinirue. 



MALAC. Blkknin^. Blennius. Salarias. Blenjtius, Labrisomus. 



ACANTH. Clist:n.s. Pholis, Erpicthys. Salarias. ClinVs. 



.APODES. Ophisojius. Chasmodes. Rupiscartes. Chirolophxs. Bi.enxophis. 



.PLECTO. CiKKiBAKBDs. Blennitrachus. Cirripectus. Cristicbps. Clixitrachus. 

 CARTIL. Opistogkathus. Omobranchus. Petroscertes. Mtxodbs. Triptkeygiok. 



(83.) The experienced ichthyologist^ conversant with 

 the typical forms of these groups^ -will need no further 

 illustration than what we have already offered in the 

 foregoing pages; while, to render it equally clear to the 

 student or general reader_, would require much more 

 space than we could possibly spare. One or two addi- 

 tional remarks, however, wiU serve to show the value of 

 the whole. The groups in the line opposite the Apodes; 

 are all eel-shaped fishes: those opposite the Plectognathes 

 turn out to he all of the chironectiform type, having 

 obliquely vertical mouths, often with cirri or barbels, 

 longer under jaw, &c. ; while the great-headed groups, 

 and such as have the mouth beneath, stand opposite to 

 the Cartilagines. Soft rays predominate in those which 

 are on a line with the Malacopteryges, while in such as 

 follow the Acanthopteryges the spinal rays predominate. 



(84.) The GoBiD^, or gobies, form a much less 

 diversified family than the last ; and their variations in 

 consequence are so few, that we shall make no attempt 

 in this place to determine their natural arrangement. 

 They are all very small-sized and insignificant-looking 

 fishes, the largest seldom exceeding a foot in length, 

 while the majority usually attain only a few inches. 

 They are immediately distinguished from the last 

 family, by having the ventral fins fully developed, and 

 generally so united as to form a funnel or sucker, analo- 

 gous to the cyclopterous, or sucking fishes, by which 

 they are enabled in the same manner to affix themselves 

 to other substances : even in such genera as have not these 

 two fins absclutely.unitedj the slenderness and flexibility 



