MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 105 



soft, and covered with the common skin ; 

 head large, depressed ; body more or less 

 lengthened, compressed ; dorsal fins three ; 

 anal two ; ventrals very small. 



II. SUB-ORDER.— Apodal Spine-less Fishes 

 (Apodes). 

 7. Family. — Donzelles (Ophidiidse). Body anguil- 

 liform, compressed, fins more or less fleshy ; 

 ventrals obsolete ; dorsal, caudal and anal 

 fins united ; body invested with small scales 

 in the thickness of the skin. 



IX. ORDEK. — Pharyngeal Fishes (Pharyngognathi). 



Endo-skeleton ossified ; exo-skeleton in some as 

 cycloid, in others as ctenoid scales ; inferior pharyn- 

 geal bones coalesced ; swimming-bladder without 

 duct. 



I. SUB-ORDER. — Spiny Pharyngeal-Fishes 

 (Acanthopterygii). 



1. Family. — Ctenoid -Wrasses (Cteno - Labridge). 



Body oval ; pre-operculum mostly dentated ; 

 lateral line interrupted ; colours diversified ; 

 scales ctenoid. 



2. Family. — Cycloid - Wrasses (Cyclo - Labridse). 



Body oval or fusiform, scaly ; colours bril- 

 liant ; lips thick, fleshy ; cutting teeth sharp, 

 simple, distinct ; those in front longest ; oper- 

 culum smooth ; pre-operculum sometimes ser- 

 rated ; lateral line abrupt^ bent, or totally 

 interrupted at end of dorsal fin ; scales cycloid. 



3. Family. — Parrot -Fishes (Scaridse). Head and 



F 5 



