RECEh T FISHES 



55 



( )ORRIDOR OP ( lENTRAL PAT [LION 

 RECENT FISHES 



The exhibit of fishes occupies the center of t he north cud of the hall 

 of the birds of the world and the corridor beyond the door leading to 

 the gallery of the .1 uditorium. 



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- 

 fishes and lampreys facing the large window, near the end of the corri- 

 dor. These rank among the most primitive "fishes." They are wiih- 



A PORTION OF THE PADDLEFISH GROUP 



out scales, without true teeth, without paired limbs, and their backbone 

 consists of but a rod of cartilage. One of the models shows the way 

 Hag-fishes in which a newly caught hag-fish secretes slime, forming 

 and around it a great mass of jelly. In the same case are 



Lampreys 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 spawners are prepar- 

 ing a pit-like nest and carrying away stones, which they seize with their 

 sucker-like mouths. 



Next to be visited are the silver sharks or Chimaeroids, shown on 

 the other side of the shark group. They are now known to be 

 highly modified sharks: their scales have failed to develop, and their 



