58 
PRISTIPOMATID^. 
“ Body compressed and oblong, covered witli 
scales, the serrature of wliicli is sometimes exceed- 
ingly tine and sometimes wanting. Lateral line 
continuous, not continued on the caudal fin. Month 
in front of the snout, with lateral cleft. Eye lateral, 
of moderate size. Eive, six, or seven hranchioste- 
gals. Teeth in villiform hands, with pointed and 
conical canines in some of the genera ; no molars 
or trenchant teeth in the jaws, generally no teeth 
on the palate ; jaws toothless in two of the genera. 
No barbels. Cheek not cnirassed. One dorsal fin, 
formed by a spinous and soft portion of nearly equal 
development, the former of which either contains 
strong spines or is continuous with the latter ; anal 
similarly developed as the soft dorsal ; the lower 
rays of the pectorals branched ; ventrals thoracic, 
with one spine and five soft rays. The bones of the 
head with a rudimentary or moderately developed 
muciferous system. Stomach csecal ; pyloric appen- 
dages in small or moderate number. Air-bladder 
present, more or less simple. Pseudobranchise well 
developed. 
“ Carnivorous fishes, without molar or trenchant 
teeth, inhahiting the seas of the temperate and 
tropica] regions ; a few entering fresh waters.” 
Those of Australia that I have to mention here are all from 
the rivers. They are very nearly allied to the sorts of Dules I 
have already described. 
