ISO CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



5. Cerictius. No spiracles : two dorsal fins ; the 

 posterior much larger and bilobedj anal one : branchial 

 apertures five on each side : tail unequal, oblique : 

 head with two bony appendages in the form of horns. — 

 Ohs. The two appendages^ or rather horns, which this 

 genus bears on the head, give it an aspect of great sin- 

 gularity^ and readily distinguish it from the next genus.* 



6. Alopias. "No spiracles : two dorsal fins; the pos- 

 terior adipose ; the ventral is single, and also adi- 

 pose : branchial openings five on each side : tail as 

 long as the body, oblique, unequal." Of this one spe- 

 cies, A. macroiu'us, is described, which, our author 

 remarks, has some affinity to Galeus vulpecula, or 

 Squalus vulpecula Linn.; but is distinguished by the 

 absence of spiracles, by its adipose fins, its greater 

 size (12 or 14 feet), &c. The mouth is small ; the 

 teeth are minute, acute, flat, and disposed in different 

 waysf; the eyes are large and much sunk. 



7. Heptranchias. No spiracle : a single dorsal and 

 anal fin : branchial openings seven on each side ; tail 

 unequal, oblique. Our author does not describe, or ap- 

 pear to have seen, the only species he thinks belongs to 

 this genus, which, he says, is the Squalus cinereus of 

 Lacepede. 



8. Galeus. Spiracles two : two dorsal fins, and one 

 anal : branchial apertures five on each side : tail un- 

 equal, oblique. — Obs. The greater part of the Squali of 

 authors are now placed in this genus, which is distin- 

 guished from that of Squalus \aLS restricted by our author) 

 by the presence of an anal fin. 



genus. IsuRUS oxyrijnchus. — "Grey above, white beneath : snout very 

 acute : lateral line apparent, and rather curved : base of the tail angulated, 

 and nearly winged on each side : the branchial apertures are very long and 

 narrow : each jaw has three rows of teeth near the palate : eyes small and 

 round : the hinder dorsal opposite the anal. It grows to the length of ten 

 feet, and is called Pesce'tondo." 



* The only species enumerated of this most extraordinary genus (which 

 seems absolutely unknown to all succeeding writers), is thus described: — 



" C. -macrourus. Above bluish black ; beneath white : appendages obtuse, 

 recurved towards the eyes : tail forming one third the total length. This 

 rare fish is called by the Sicilians Pesce diavolo, on account of its horns. 

 One was caught off Palermo in March, 1806, which measured eight feet, 

 and weighed six Sicilian cantars." 



I " In diversi ordini." 



