LAMriiEYS 



59 



CORRIDOR OF CENTRAL PAVILION 



Recent Fishes 



The doorway at the north end of the hall of the birds of the world 

 leading to the rear of the bird of paradise case opens into the gallery of 

 the Auditorium and to the corridor devoted to the general collection of 

 recent fishes. 



The exhibit includes typical examples of the various groups of back- 

 boned animals popularly comprised in the term "fishes" and is arranged 

 in progressive order. The visitor should first examine the case of hag- 



A PORTION OF THE PADDLEFISH GROUP 



fishes and lampreys facing the large window. These rank among the 



most primitive "fishes." They are without scales, without true teeth; 



without paired limbs, and their backbone consists of but a rod of cartilage. 



One of the models shows the way in which a newdy caught 



^' ®^ hag-fish secretes slime, forming around it a great mass of 



Lampreys J^^ly- I^i the same case are lampreys, and one of them is 



represented attached to a fish, which it fatally wounds. 



The nest-building habit of lampreys is illustrated in a neighboring floor 



case: here the spaw^ners are preparing a pit-like nest and carrying away 



stones, which they seize w4th their sucker-like mouths. 



