SYNOPSIS OF THE PRINCIPAL GROUPS. lll 
spines; a narrow gill opening in front of the 
pectoral fins ; skeleton incompletely ossified ; 
oills pectinate ; no pneumatic duct. 
Lophobranchw. Gills composed of small 
rounded lobes; gill-cover a simple plate; a 
dermal skeleton ; snout produced, the mouth 
terminal; no pneumatic duct. 
Physostomi. All the fin rays articulated ; 
the first of the dorsal and pectorals sometimes 
spinose ; ventrals, if present, abdominal, with- 
out a spine; air bladder with a pneumatic 
duct. 
Anacanthin. Vertical and ventral fins with- 
out spinous rays; ventrals, if present, jugular 
or thoracic ; no pneumatic duct. 
Acanthopterr. Some of the rays of the 
dorsal, anal, and ventral fins spinose; no 
pneumatic duct. 
Dipnoi. Skeleton partially ossified; heart 
with ventricle and two auricles; gills free; 
air bladder converted into a lung ; nasal cavi- 
ties communicate with the mouth. 
Catalogue of the Fishes of New Zealand.—Hutton and Hector, Geo- 
logical Survey Department, 1572. 
Also numerous papers in the Trans. N.Z. Inst., by Hector, Haast, 
Hutton, Gunther, Powell, Clarke, and Campbell, 
Chimexroid Jaws from New Zealand.—Newton, Quar. Jour, Geol. 
Soc., XXXIT., p. 326. 
AMPHIBIA. Vertebral column ossified; no fin rays; 
No sternal ribs ; two occipital condyles; circu- 
lation piscine in the young, reptilian in the 
adult; respiration by branchiz when young, 
