SEA-CATS. 
231 
Fam. a n a r b hi c H A D 1 1) M. 
External bones of the head smooth. No osseous connexion between the suborbital ring and the preoperculum. 
Jaw-teeth and palatine teeth of extraordinary strength , partly obtuse molars (on the vomer and the palatine bones, 
and in the lower jaw), partly conical or curved canines (on the intermaxillary bones, and in the front part, — 
sometimes in the bach part as well — of the lower jaw). One continuous dorsal fin (dong the whole of the back 
behind the occiput, containing only simple rays. Anal fin also long. Ventral fins wanting. Pseud 'oh ranch ice 
present. No air-bladder or pyloric appendages. 
The singular dentition of the mouth in these fishes 
led Gill" to form a distinct family for them, though 
they are so like the Blennies in other respects that 
their union Avith the preceding family would be by no 
means unnatural. Of the whole apparatus of the ventral 
fins the Sea-cats retain only a pelvic bone on each side 
of the body, attached to the inside of the anterior (in- 
ferior) end of the clavicular bone; but a similar re- 
duction of these fins is not uncommon in the preceding 
family, where the pyloric appendages and air-bladder 
may also be wanting. But the Sea-cats possess another 
individual peculiarity in the structure of the dorsal fin, 
in which the simple, undivided rays in the back part 
(about 10 or 12 in number) are hardened into true 
spinous rays, while all the anterior rays are soft-tipped. 
Another peculiarity of the Sea-cats is the shortness of 
the intermaxillary bones, which consist almost entirely 
of the anterior part alone, the posterior (horizontal) 
branch being both shorter and more slender than the 
vertical (the nasal process), the point of which is united 
by a firm, cartilaginous connexion (synchondrosis) to 
the anterior end of the ethmoid bone, whereas, in other 
cases, this branch lies free in a groove on the top of 
the ethmoid bone. Lastly, Ave find another deviation in 
the Sea-cats from the general rule among the Anomalo- 
pterous fishes, in the circumstance that the number 
of branched rays in the caudal fin may rise to at least 
15, only from 11 to 13, hoAvever, being so long that 
they can be regarded as caudal rays proper, while the 
other (outer) ones are rather to be considered as branched 
supporting rays. The system of the lateral line is 
especially Avell-developed, though its pores are small 
and often indistinct. There are tAvo lateral lines proper 
on each side of the body, one at the middle of the 
side and the other along the base of the dorsal fin, at 
a greater or less distance from it; but in the posterior 
part of the body they can scarcely be detected. 
The family contains 6, perhaps 7, species, belong- 
ing to northern and high northern latitudes, and dis- 
tributed betAveen tAvo genera. 
Genus ANARRHICHAS. 
Caudal fin distinctly separated both from the dorsal fin and the anal. 
A groundless tale that the Sea-cat Avas called klipp- 
fisk (Rock-fish) by the fishermen of the Baltic, because 
it crept up on the rocks, induced Gesner to give it 
the name of Anarrhichas (climber), and Artedi* retained 
this name for the genus, which is spread over the 
northern parts of the Atlantic and Pacific. For the 
elucidation of this genus according to the requirements 
of modern science a ve have first to thank Professor 
Jap. Steenstkup. Within the limits of the Scandina- 
vian fauna three species occur, Avhich may be distin- 
guished as folloAvs: 
a Canad. Natur., Geol., Aug. 18^5, p. 247. 
6 Ichth., Gen., p. 23. 
