264: CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



presentatives of the whole^ does away with the necessity 

 of any further elucidation on this point. This view of 

 the subject^ however^ is fully confirmed by the beautiful 

 manner in which the salmon of America (Characi7ms) 

 represent the herrings (^Clupeince) : both these groups 

 have the body much compressed, more especially on the 

 belly ; and numerous examples in both occur of this part 

 being not only sharp and carinated, but serrated like a 

 saw : all the serrasalmos in one, and the saw-herrings 

 in the other, answer to this description. We before re- 

 marked the similarity of Xiphostoma to the pike, not 

 merely in its formidable teeth, but its depressed upper 

 snout, and the backward position of its first dorsal ; so 

 that here, again, the analogy turns out to be strictly 

 conformable to the natural series. We know so little 

 of Mormyrus, that we are at a loss to discover in what 

 respect it more immediately resembles Sternoptyx ; cer- 

 tain, however, it is, that if the existing descriptions are 

 correct, Mormyrus has the smallest mouth of any 

 genus in the salmon group ; and if we seek for this 

 character in its highest state of development, we find it 

 only in the chironectiform types, of which Fistularia^ 

 Centriscus, Gomphosis, Szc. are notable examples : these 

 genera, as will be seen hereafter, come in as the chironecti- 

 form types of their own groups, representing ^«/i^^e5, &c. 

 by their very small mouth, and CMronectes by its vertical 

 direction. Sudis, in like manner, can only be assimilated 

 to the carps through other groups. Having already en- 

 deavoured to prove that the CyprincB are the represent- 

 atives of the eels among the salmons, we come also to 

 the same conclusion respecting Sudis. The analogy of 

 the first is shown by its food and habits, while that of 

 the last is manifested by the lengthened form and general 

 aspect. Fond as we are of tracing analogies, we cannot 

 let them interfere with what appears to us natural af- 

 finities ; and as we join with Cuvier in believing that 

 Sudis is closely allied to Erythrinus, and that these, by 

 means of Gonorynchus Gronov., pass into the Cy prince ^ 

 — we cannot substitute any other type in the place of 



