FISHES 
The fishes are the lowest class of the back-boned animals 
or Vertebrates, They are generally divided into three groups : 
(l) the Cartilagineous Fishes {Chondropterygn or Eldsmobrafttfirih 
including the Sharks and Rays ; (2) the Ganoids {Ganoidei), 
including the Sturgeons \ and (3) the Bony Fishes {Teieostei), 
including the great majority of Fishes. The second of these 
groups is not represented in the Malay region. Of the third 
group, the Bony Fishes, there is a large collection of stutfed 
specimens in the Museum which were prepared in the years 
1883 to 1887 under the direction of Dr. T, L Rowell, Principal 
Civil Medical Officer at the time. They are carefully labelled 
with their scientific and Malay names, but are now much faded 
and little attractive. Pending the preparation of a fresh collec- 
tion, painted in their natural colours, tt Is not proposed to 
describe them now. We only devote a few lines to the Cartila- 
gineous Fishes, the Sharks and Rays. 
Sharks, Rays and their allies differ from the Bony Fishes 
by having the skeleton entirely cartilagineous throughout life. 
The skeleton may be superficially calcified, but no true bone is 
formed. They have, like the Bony Fishes, two pairs of fins 
(pectoral and pelvic fins) which correspond to the front and 
hind limbs of higher back-boned animals, and, in addition to 
these, unpaired or median fins (dorsal, caudal and ventral ones), 
like the other fishes. In the Sharks and Ekjgfish the pectoral 
and pelvic fins are about equally developed, but in the Rays and 
Skates the pectoral fins enormously exceed the pelvic ones in 
size, so that the body assumes a broad and flattened shape. 
Both Sharks and Rays are carnivorous, but whilst the Sharks 
are able to swim rapidly and to pursue large prey, the Rays 
only progress with a kind of slow undulating motion, rarely 
leaving the bottom of the sea and feeding on Molluscs, Crusta- 
ceans and other small animals. Thus we find as a rule large 
triangular teeth in the Sharks, but small, flat and pavement-like 
ones in the Rays, Some members of the group lay eggs, others 
bring forth living young ones. 
