Tolerably naked or microlepidal, cylindriform or very much compressed, with small head and mouth; the teeth very feeble, only like a brush; the branchial opercula without spines. Here belong the proper Tunnies and Haberdines: all of them marine Fishes.
Fam. 8. Crustacean Fishes, Brassen.
Body perfectly regular, covered with great scales; mouth small with strong teeth; branchial opercula unarmed. Here belong the Labridæ or Lipped Fishes, Seabream and Osphromanus.
Fam. 9. Ptilotoid Fishes, Perch.
Body quite regular with large scales, mouth of moderate size with scythe-shaped teeth, branchial opercula armed. Here belong the Scianoidæ and Percoidæ. Dwell in the sea and rivers.
Order 4. Sarcose Fishes.
3540. Abdominales, dorsal fins small, with soft ramified rays, mostly placed far behind. Plainly regular Fishes with large scales. The head is regular, with the eyes upon its sides; the set of teeth varied; the trunk large, tail small, as are also the dorsal fins, which proceed more and more backwards to the sacrum or even the tail, a fact indicating their gradual disappearance, and therefore a sign also of greater perfection. Added to this, they are generally distributed over the whole earth in rivers and seas. Finally, it is they that yield the most nutriment to Man, which is also a constant sign of greater perfection; as is evidenced in the vegetable kingdom by the Fruit-trees or plants; in the animal kingdom by the Oysters, Snails, Sepiæ, Holothuriæ, Geese, Fowls, Cattle, &c.
Fam. 10. Typical Fishes, Carps.
Body of the Carps covered with large scales, mostly but one dorsal fin placed pretty far back, mouth nearly edentate, supra-maxillary bones arrested, large teeth on the posterior branchial arches, or what have been called pharyngeal bones. They are for the greatest part fresh-water Fishes, and those which are most used as articles of food.
Fam. 11. Reptilian Fishes, Salmons.