142 ACANTHOPTERYGII. — CEPOLADiE. 
sionally presented to the notice of British na- 
turalists, being found washed up by the violence 
of the waves on the rocks or beach. Though so 
limited in number, the fishes of this Family con- 
stitute three Sub-families, distinguished princi- 
pally by the form of the head and mouth. 
1. Cej)olina. In these the muzzle is short, 
and the mouth cleft obliquely, so as to open 
upwards; the body is deepest at the head, and 
diminishes gradually to the tail, which is fur- 
nished with a distinct caudal, though united to 
the dorsal, as also to the anal, where this last is 
present. Most of the species are natives of the 
Mediterranean. 
2. Gymnetrina, Here the mouth is small and 
little cleft ; the body is excessively long and 
thin; the dorsal extends the whole length; the 
anal is wanting; the pectorals are minute, but 
the ventrals remarkably developed. 
3. Trichiurina. In this group the muzzle 
is lengthened, the mouth deeply cleft, and armed 
with strong trenchant teeth, the lower jaw pro- 
jecting beyond the upper, with a pointed chin. 
The dorsal is long, but not united with the 
caudal : the ventrals are wanting, as are, in one 
genus, the anal, and the caudal also. 
The Ribbon-fishes,” remarks Mr. Swainson, 
who seems to have been personally familiar 
with not a few species, although vastly in- j 
ferior, in point of number, to either of the more 
typical divisions, is yet one of the greatest in- 
terest, since it contains the most singular and 
extraordinary fishes in creation. . . . The form 
of the body, when compared to fishes better 
known, is more like that of the Eel, the length 
