96 



PISCES. 



chial rays hardly apparent ; body of small size, and plated 

 from one end to the other with laminae, which generally ren- 

 der it angular. Two remarkable genera. 



Genus Syngnathus, Lin. 



A tubular snout terminated by an ordinary mouth split 

 vertically; no ventrals; the eggs slip into a pouch placed 

 under the abdomen or tail, and which splits open for the pas- 

 sage of the fry. 



Subgenus Hippocampus, Cuv. 



Trunk compressed laterally, and considerably more ele- 

 vated than the tail ; by curving after death the head and body 

 take the semblance of the chest of a horse in miniature ; the 

 joints of the scales are elevated into ridges, and their salient 

 angles into spines ; no caudal fin. 



Genus Pegasus, Lin. 



Mouth opening beneath the base of the snout ; body mailed ; 

 trunk wide and depressed ; pectoral often very large, whence 

 they derive their name ; dorsal and anal opposite each other. 

 [Indian Ocean.] 



ORDER VI. PLECTOGNATHI. 



Maxillary bone soldered, or firmly attached, to the sides of 

 the intermaxillary, which alone constitutes the jaw ; palatine 

 arch connected by a suture with the cranium, and deprived 

 of mobility ; opercula and rays concealed under a thick skin, 

 leaving visible only a small branchial fissure ; mere vestiges 

 of ribs ; no true ventrals ; natatory bladder considerable. 

 Two families. 



FAMILY I. GYMNODONTES. 



Jaws furnished, instead of apparent teeth, with an ivory 

 substance internally divided into laminse, whose ensemble 

 resembles the beak of a Parrot, and which, in fact, consists of 

 true teeth united, succeeding each other as fast as they are 

 destroyed by trituration. One remarkable genus. 



