ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, AND THE 



pies. Into the general divisions of this class M. Cuvier has introducecl 

 no change of any importance whatever, his own sections and names run« 

 ning parallel with those of Linneus. 



The kind best calculated to elucidate the first or apodal order, is the 

 well known muraena or eel ; since every one must have noticed, that this 

 fish has no ventral, or, indeed, under fins of any kind. In many of its 

 species, it has a very near approach to the serpent tribes ; insomuch that 

 several of them are called sea-serpents, and by some naturalists are de- 

 scribed as branches of the serpent genu§. Even our own common eel, 

 munena Anguiila, is often observed to quit its proper element during the 

 night, and, like the snake, to wander over the meadows in search of snails 

 and worms. 



The next genus I shall mention, is the gymnotus, of which one species^ 

 gyninotus electricus^ is the electric eel, an inh?ibitant of the rivers of South 

 America, from three to four feet long, and pecuharly distinguished by it^ 

 power of inflicting an electrical shock, so severe as to benumb, the limba 

 of those that are exposed to it. The shock is equally inflicted whether 

 the fish be touched by the naked hand, or by a long stick. It is by this 

 extraordinary power, which it employs alike defensively and offensively, 

 that the electric eel escapes from the jaws of larger fishes, and is enabled 

 to seize various smaller fishes as food for its own use. There are, how- 

 ever, a few other fishes, as we shall have occasion to notice in proceeding, 

 that possess a similar power, as the torpedo of European »eas, and espe- 

 cially of the Mediterranean, and the electric silurus of those of Africa. 



Tlie only other genus it vrili be necessary to glance at under this order, 

 is the xiphias or sword-fish ; so denominated from its long sword-like and 

 serrated snout, with which it penetrates and destroys its prey, its chief 

 vspecies is found in the European and other Mediterranean seas, sometimes ^ 

 not less than twenty feet long ; is very active, and, in one instance, has* 

 been known to attack an East Indiaman with so prodigious a force, as to 

 drive its sword or snout completely through the bottom of the ship, and must 

 have destroyed it by the leak which would hereby have been occasioned, 

 had not the animal been killed by the violence of its own exertions ; in i 

 consequence of which, the snout remained imbedded in the ribs of the 

 ship, and no leak of any extent was produced. A fragment of this vessel, 

 with the sword imbedded in it, has been long lodged as a curiosity in the 

 British Museum. 



The JUGULAR ORDER of fishcs, distinguished by the ventral or belly-finS' 

 being placed before the pectoral or chest fins, is the next in succession, 

 and contains only six separate kinds ; of which, the two most familiar to- 

 our own country, are the gadus or cod-fish, including, among a variety of 

 other species, the haddock, whiting, and ling ; and the blennius or blenny, 

 including several species of the hake. In these the ventral or belly fins 

 are advanced so far forward, as to be immediately under the jole. 



Of the THIRD or thoracic order, in which the ventral fins lie some- 

 what backwarder, and directly under the pectoral or chest fins, I may in- 

 stance, among those most familiar to us, the zeus or John doree ; the 

 ])leuronectes, including the numerous families of plaice, flat-fish, flounder<y 

 sole, turbot ; the eyes of all which are situate on the same side of the head, 

 in some species, on the left side, in others, on the right, but always on one 

 side alone : the perca or perch, one species of which, perca scandens^h^stL 

 power, like the eel, of quitting the water, and climbing up trees, which it 

 efiects by means of the spines on its gill-covers, and the spinous rays of its 

 other fios : m<\ thegasterosteus. or stickle-back. Among the more remark- 



