PREFACE.
The scope of the present work is to give in a concise form an account of the principal facts relating to the structure, classification, and life-history of Fishes. It is intended to meet the requirements of those who are desirous of studying the elements of Ichthyology; to serve as a book of reference to zoologists generally; and, finally, to supply those who, like travellers, have frequent opportunities of observing fishes, with a ready means of obtaining information. The article on “Ichthyology,” prepared by the late Sir J. Richardson for the eighth edition of the “Encyclopædia Britannica,” is the only publication which has hitherto partly satisfied such requirements; and when I undertook, some years ago, to revise, or rather rewrite that article for the new edition of that work, it occurred to me that I might at the same time prepare a Handbook of Ichthyology, whilst reserving for the article an abstract so condensed as to be adapted for the wants of the general reader.
From the general plan of the work I have only departed in those chapters which deal with the Geographical Distribution of Fishes. This is a subject which has never before been treated in a general and comprehensive manner, and seemed to demand particular attention. I have, therefore, thought it right to give nominal lists of the Faunæ, and the other details of fact on which I have based my conclusions, although all the necessary materials may be found in my “Catalogue of Fishes.”
A few references only to the numerous sources which were consulted on the subjects of Chapters 1–12, are inserted in the text; more not required by the beginner; he is introduced to a merely elementary knowledge of facts well known to the advanced student.
With regard to the illustrations, about twenty have been prepared after originals published by Cuvier, J. Müller, Owen, Traquair, Duméril, Cunningham, Hasse, Poey, Siebold, and Gegenbaur. A similar number, representing extinct fishes, have been taken, with the kind permission of the author, from Owen’s “Palæontology.” My best thanks are due also to the Committee of Publications of the Zoological Society, and to the Editors of the “Annals and Magazine of Natural History,” and of the “Journal des Museum Godeffroy,” for the loan of woodcuts illustrating some of my papers on South American fishes and on larval forms. The remainder of the illustrations (about three-fourths) are either original figures, or formed part of the article on ‘Ichthyology’ in the former edition of the “Encyclopædia Britannica.”
London, 3d October 1880.
CONTENTS.
| INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. | |
|---|---|
| PAGE | |
| Fish defined—Ichthyology defined | [1] |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| History and Literature | [2] |
| Aristotle, [2]—Belon, [4]—Salviani, [6]—Rondelet, [6]—Faunists andAnatomists of the Seventeenth Century, [7]—Ray and Willughby,[8]—Artedi, [9]—Linnæus, [10]—Gronow and Klein, [12]—Pupilsand Successors of Linnæus, [12]—Bloch, [13]—Lacépède, [15]—Anatomistsand Faunists preceding Cuvier, [16]—Cuvier, [17]—Agassiz,[20]—J. Müller, [22]—Discovery of Ceratodus, [25]—Recentpublications on Fishes, [26]—Latest systematic works, [33]. | |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Topographical description of the External Parts of Fishes | [35] |
| Form of the body, [35]—External parts of the head, [36]—Trunk andTail, [39]—Fins; their structure, position, and function, [40]—Skinand Scales, [45]. | |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Terminology and Topography of the Skeleton | [51] |
| Axial portion, [51]—Vertebra and its parts; terms defined, [51]—Skull;bones topographically enumerated, [53]—Bones of thelimbs, [59]—Synonymic list of bones, [59]. | |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Modifications of the Skeleton | [63] |
| Branchiostoma, [63]—Cyclostomes, [64]—Chondropterygians, [66]—Holocephali,[70]—Ganoids, [71]—Dipnoi, [71]—Chondrostei, [74]—Polypteroidei,[77]—Lepidosteoidei, [80]—Amioidei, [82]—Teleostei,[83]—Classification of the bones of the Teleosteous skull accordingto the vertebral doctrine, [85]—their morphological classification,[86]—Limb-bones of Teleosteans, [92]. | |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Myology | [93] |
| General arrangement of the Muscles, [93]—Electric organs, [94]. | |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Neurology | [96] |
| Of Branchiostoma, [96]—Spinal chord, [96]—Brain, its size, [97]—Brainof Osseous fishes, [97]—of Ganoids, [98]—of Chondropterygians,[100]—of Cyclostomes, [101]—Spino-cerebral nerves, [103]—Spinalnerves, [107]—Sympathic system, [108]. | |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| The Organs of Sense | [109] |
| Smell, [109]—Sight, [111]—Hearing; connection of the ear with theair-bladder, [116]—Taste, [119]—Touch, [120]. | |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| The Organs of Nutrition and Digestion | [121] |
| Food and mode of feeding, [121]—Buccal and abdominal cavities andtheir openings, [123]—Mouth and tongue, [123]—Forms, texture,and arrangement of teeth, [124]—Intestinal tract, [127]—Liver,[132]—Pancreas, [133]—Spleen, [133]. | |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Organs of Respiration | [135] |
| Respiration, [135]—Structure and arrangement of the gills, [136]—Pseudobranchiæ,[140]—Accessory respiratory organs, [142]—Air-bladder;its varieties, structure, and functions, [142]. | |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Organs of Circulation | [150] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Urinary Organs | [155] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Organs of Reproduction | [157] |
| Fishes are dioecious, [157]—Hermaphroditism, [157]—Oviparous andviviparous fishes, [157]—Generative organs of Branchiostoma,[157]—of Cyclostomes; their ova, [158]—Female organs ofTeleosteans and their ova, [158]—Instances of females takingcare of their progeny, [160]—Male organs of Teleosteans, [162]—Instancesof males taking care of their progeny, 163—Generativeorgans of Ganoids, [163]—of Chondropterygians and theirova, [166]. | |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| Growth and Variation of Fishes | [170] |
| Changes of form of the body or certain parts, normally accompanyinggrowth, [170]—Changes dependent on sexual development,[176]—Secondary sexual differences, [176]—Mixogamous, polygamous,and monogamous fishes, [177]—Hybridism as a causeof variation, [178]—Regular and irregular growth of fishes, [178]—Leptocephalinot a normal state of development, [179]—Changesof colour of the muscles and external parts; chromatophors,[182]—Albinism, [183]. | |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| Domesticated and Acclimatised Fishes, etc. | [185] |
| Domesticated fishes, [185]—Acclimatisation of fishes, [185]—Artificialimpregnation of ova, [186]—Tenacity of life, [186]—Reproductionof lost parts, [188]—Hybernation, [188]—Useful fishes, [189]—Poisonousfishes, [189]—Poison-organs, [190]. | |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| Distribution of Fishes in time | [193] |
| Oldest fish-remains, [193]—Devonian fishes, [194]—Carboniferous,[196]—Permian, [197]—Triassic, [197]—Liassic, [198]—Oolitic, [199]—Cretaceous,[199]—Tertiary, [200]—Post-pliocene, [201]. | |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| The Distribution of existing Fishes over theEarth’s Surface.—General Remarks | [202] |
| Freshwater-, Marine-, and Brackish-water Fishes, [202]—Changes ofthe habitat of numerous fishes, active, [203]—or dependent ongeological changes, [204]—Agencies operating upon the distributionof Freshwater and Marine fishes, [205]. | |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| The Distribution of Freshwater Fishes | [208] |
| List of Freshwater Fishes, [208]—Continuous and interrupted rangeof distribution, [209]—The ways of dispersal of Freshwaterfishes, [211]—A wide range of a type is not necessarily proof ofits antiquity, [212]—Each fauna is composed of ancient, autochthont,and immigrant species, [213]—Division of the globeinto zoological regions; freshwater fishes have been spread incircumpolar zones, [215]—Cyprinidæ and Siluridæ, most importantfamilies in recognising the zoo-geographical regions,[216]—Division of the faunæ of Freshwater fishes, [217]—I.Equatorial Zone, [218]—Indian Region, [220]—African Region,[227]—Tropical American or Neotropical Region, [233]—TropicalPacific Region, [238]—II. Northern Zone, [240]—Europe-Asiaticor Palæarctic Region, [243]—North American or NearcticRegion, [246]—III. Southern Zone, with Tasmanian, NewZealand, and Fuegian Sub-regions, [248]. | |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| The Fishes of the Brackish Water | [251] |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| The Distribution of Marine Fishes | [255] |
| Shore-fishes, Pelagic, and Deep-sea fishes, [255]—List of Shore-fishes,[257]—Oceanic areæ as determined by Shore-fishes, [259]—Distributionof Shore-fishes compared with that of Freshwater-fishes,[260]—I. Arctic Ocean, [261]—II. Northern Temperate Zone, [262]—TemperateNorth-Atlantic, [262]—with British, [263]—Mediterranean,[264]—and North American districts, [266]—TemperateNorth-Pacific, [268]—with Kamtschatkan, [269]—Japanese, [270]—andCalifornian districts, [271]—III. Equatorial Zone, [272]—withTropical Atlantic, [278]—Indo-Pacific Ocean, [278]—andthe Pacific Coasts of Tropical America, [279]—IV. SouthernTemperate Zone, [281]—with the Cape of Good Hope, [283]—SouthAustralia and New Zealand, [283]—Chile, [288]—andPatagonia, [289]—V. Antarctic Ocean, [289]. | |
| CHAPTER XX. | |
| Distribution of Pelagic Fishes | [292] |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| The Fishes of the Deep Sea | [296] |
| Deep-sea fishes a recent discovery, [296]—Physical conditions affectingthese fishes, [297]—Characteristics of Deep-sea fishes, [299]—Theirvertical and horizontal distribution, [304]—List of Deep-seafishes, [305]. | |