266 



CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



common species, among which the herring and the 

 pilchard are the best known ; but before we proceed to 

 this subject, we shall first enumerate the chief divisions 

 of this sub-family — numerous in species, but far less 

 diversified in outward appearance than the last. We 

 arrange the whole under the following genera^ some of 

 which contain minor divisions, or sub-genera: — 1. 

 Clupea, or the true herrings, having the body compressed, 

 the belly sharp and carinated, and often serrated ; the 

 dorsal fin in the middle of the back ; and the mouth 

 opening in an oblique direction : the caudal fin is always 

 distinct from the anal, which, as in Characinus, is gene- 

 rally long. — 2. Flops, or salmon herrings, possessing the 

 general form of the last; but the body is not compressed, 

 nor is the belly either sharp or serrated : the mouth is 

 moderate in size, furnished with teeth; and the anal fin 

 shorter. — 3. The genus Chirocentrus differs materially 

 from the two former, in the very backward position of 

 the dorsal fin, which is almost as near the caudal as that 

 of the true pikes. — 4-. Pristogaster (^fig.57'), where the 



small mouth is com- 

 pletely vertical, and the 

 belly curved outwards, 

 is serrated as strongly 

 as in any fish yet dis- 

 covered: that this ge- 

 nus represents, in the 

 most striking manner, 

 Stenwptyjc, Gasferopelicus, and Anastomus in the last 

 family, is abundantly evident ; and yet in many re- 

 spects it seems so closely allied to some other kindred 

 forms among the aberrant sub.^genera of Clupea, that 

 we have strong doubts whether it forms one of the 

 primary types of this family; no other, however, that 

 we know of, is a more perfect representation of the 

 chironectiform type. — 5. Last of all, we place Osteoglos- 

 sum of Vandell (Ichnosoma Spix) as the genus more 

 immediately connecting this family with the last : it 

 differs from all others by having the ventral, and some- 





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