AMPHIBIAN ANIMALS IN GENERAL. 83 



affinity which this species bears to our sub-genus Ophi- 

 fiomus among the Blennincs is too obvious to be dwelt 

 upon. 



(87.) The Chiridce we have formed of a very singular 

 and apparently anomalous genus_, that of Chirus Steller^ 

 of which several species are found in the frigid seas of 

 Northern Asia. Cuvier places this genus at the, end 

 of the Blennies, and M. Valenciennes regards it 

 strictly in the same light. In this he may possibly be 

 correct ; but if so^ it can be no other than the most 

 aberrant group; for notwithstanding several points of 

 resemblance to the blennies, the ventral fins are quite 

 developed^ and are not placed, as is usual, before, but 

 under, the pectorals. We therefore arrange Chi7'us for 

 the present at the end of this tribe, and with the same 

 doubts as M. Cuvier originally entertained regarding its 

 true situation. It must either be the most aberrant type 

 of the blennies, or represent them in the circle of the 

 PercidcB, just as Sparus does in that of the Chcetodonida. 

 We shall now proceed to another class of animals in 

 the great circle of the Yertebrata. 



' CHAP. VII. 



ON THE CLASS AMPHIBIA, Oil THE AMPHIBIANS. 



(88.) The application of the term Amphibians, in po- 

 pular language, is much more general than that in which 

 it is used by zoologists. An amphibious animal, gene- 

 rally speaking, is one which is capable of inhabiting 

 both the land and water, and the term^ as being ex- 

 pressive, should by no means be abolished. But the 

 animals to which naturalists have more particularly 

 applied this name, belong exclusively to such verte- 

 brated reptiles as not only possess the power of living 



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