CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
PAGE
Fish defined—Ichthyology defined 1
CHAPTER I.
History and Literature 2
Aristotle, 2—Belon, 4—Salviani, 6—Rondelet, 6—Faunists and Anatomists of the Seventeenth Century, 7—Ray and Willughby, 8—Artedi, 9—Linnæus, 10—Gronow and Klein, 12—Pupils and Successors of Linnæus, 12—Bloch, 13—Lacépède, 15—Anatomists and Faunists preceding Cuvier, 16—Cuvier, 17—Agassiz, 20—J. Müller, 22—Discovery of Ceratodus, 25—Recent publications 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 and Tail, 39—Fins; their structure, position, and function, 40—Skin and 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 the limbs, 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 according to 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—Brain of Osseous fishes, 97—of Ganoids, 98—of Chondropterygians, 100—of Cyclostomes, 101—Spino-cerebral nerves, 103—Spinal nerves, 107—Sympathic system, 108.
CHAPTER VII.
The Organs of Sense 109
Smell, 109—Sight, 111—Hearing; connection of the ear with the air-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 and their 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 and viviparous fishes, 157—Generative organs of Branchiostoma, 157—of Cyclostomes; their ova, 158—Female organs of Teleosteans and their ova, 158—Instances of females taking care of their progeny, 160—Male organs of Teleosteans, 162—Instances of males taking care of their progeny, 163—Generative organs of Ganoids, 163—of Chondropterygians and their ova, 166.
CHAPTER XIII.
Growth and Variation of Fishes 170
Changes of form of the body or certain parts, normally accompanying growth, 170—Changes dependent on sexual development, 176—Secondary sexual differences, 176—Mixogamous, polygamous, and monogamous fishes, 177—Hybridism as a cause of variation, 178—Regular and irregular growth of fishes, 178—Leptocephali not a normal state of development, 179—Changes of 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—Artificial impregnation of ova, 186—Tenacity of life, 186—Reproduction of lost parts, 188—Hybernation, 188—Useful fishes, 189—Poisonous fishes, 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 the Earth’s Surface.—General Remarks 202
Freshwater-, Marine-, and Brackish-water Fishes, 202—Changes of the habitat of numerous fishes, active, 203—or dependent on geological changes, 204—Agencies operating upon the distribution of Freshwater and Marine fishes, 205.
CHAPTER XVII.
The Distribution of Freshwater Fishes 208
List of Freshwater Fishes, 208—Continuous and interrupted range of distribution, 209—The ways of dispersal of Freshwater fishes, 211—A wide range of a type is not necessarily proof of its antiquity, 212—Each fauna is composed of ancient, autochthont, and immigrant species, 213—Division of the globe into zoological regions; freshwater fishes have been spread in circumpolar zones, 215—Cyprinidæ and Siluridæ, most important families 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—Tropical Pacific Region, 238—II. Northern Zone, 240—Europe-Asiatic or Palæarctic Region, 243—North American or Nearctic Region, 246—III. Southern Zone, with Tasmanian, New Zealand, 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—Distribution of Shore-fishes compared with that of Freshwater-fishes, 260—I. Arctic Ocean, 261—II. Northern Temperate Zone, 262—Temperate North-Atlantic, 262—with British, 263—Mediterranean, 264—and North American districts, 266—Temperate North-Pacific, 268—with Kamtschatkan, 269—Japanese, 270—and Californian districts, 271—III. Equatorial Zone, 272—with Tropical Atlantic, 278—Indo-Pacific Ocean, 278—and the Pacific Coasts of Tropical America, 279—IV. Southern Temperate Zone, 281—with the Cape of Good Hope, 283—South Australia and New Zealand, 283—Chile, 288—and Patagonia, 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 affecting these fishes, 297—Characteristics of Deep-sea fishes, 299—Their vertical and horizontal distribution, 304—List of Deep-sea fishes, 305.

SYSTEMATIC AND DESCRIPTIVE PART.

First Sub-class—Palæichthyes.
PAGE
First Order—Chondropterygii 313
I. Plagiostomata 313
A. Selachoidei—Sharks 314
Families: Carchariidæ (Blue Shark, Tope, Hammerhead, Hound), 316—Lamnidæ (Porbeagle, Carcharodon, Fox-Shark, Basking-Shark), 319—Rhinodontidæ, 323—Notidanidæ, 324—Scylliidæ (Dog-fishes), 325— Hybodontidæ, 328—Cestraciontidæ (Port Jackson Shark), 328—Spinacidæ (Spiny Dogs, Greenland Shark), 330—Rhinidæ, 334—Pristiophoridæ, 335.
B. Batoidei—Rays 335
Families: Pristidæ (Saw-fishes), 336—Rhinobatidæ, 337—Torpedinidæ (Electric Rays), 338—Rajidæ (Rays and Skates), 340—Trygonidæ (Sting Rays), 342—Myliobatidæ (Eagle Rays), 344.
II. Holocephala 348
Family: Chimæridæ, 348.
Second Order—Ganoidei 350
I. Placodermi 351
II. Acanthodini 355
III. Dipnoi 355
Families: Sirenidæ (Lepidosiren, Protopterus, Ceratodus), 355—Ctenododipteridæ, 359—Phaneropleuridæ, 360.
IV. Chondrostei 360
Families: Acipenseridæ (Sturgeons), 360—Polyodontidæ, 362.
V. Polypteroidei 363
Families: Polypteridæ, 364—Saurodipteridæ, 365—Coelacanthidæ, 365—Holoptychidæ, 365.
VI. Pycnodontoidei 366
Families: Pleurolepidæ, 366—Pycnodontidæ, 366.
VII. Lepidosteoidei 367
Families: Lepidosteidæ, 367—Sauridæ, 368—Stylodontidæ, 368—Sphærodontidæ, 368—Aspidorhynchidæ, 369—Palæoniscidæ, 369—Platysomidæ, 370.
VIII. Amioidei 370
Families: Caturidæ, 371—Leptolepidæ, 371—Amiidæ (Bow-fin), 371.
Second Sub-class—Teleostei.
First Order—Acanthopterygii 374
I. A. perciformes 374
Families: Percidæ (Freshwater-Perches, Bass, Sea-Perches, Centrarchus), 375—Squamipinnes (Coral-Fishes), 397—Mullidæ (Red-Mullets), 403—Sparidæ (Sea-breams), 405—Hoplognathidæ, 410—Cirrhitidæ, 410—Scorpænidæ, 412—Nandidæ, 418—Polycentridæ, 418—Teuthididæ, 418.
II. A. beryciformes 419
Family: Berycidæ, 420.
III. A. kurtiformes 424
Family: Kurtidæ, 424.
IV. A. polynemiformes 425
Family: Polynemidæ, 425.
V. A. sciæniformes 426
Family: Sciænidæ (Meagres), 426.
VI. A. xiphiiformes 431
Family: Xiphiidæ (Sword-fishes), 431.
VII. A. trichiuriformes 433
Families: Trichiuridæ (Scabbard-fishes, Hairtails), 433—Palæorhynchidæ, 437.
VIII. A. cotto-scombriformes 438
Families: Acronuridæ (Surgeons), 438—Carangidæ (Horse-Mackerels, Pilot-fish, Boar-fish), 440—Cyttidæ (John Dorey), 450—Stromateidæ, 452—Coryphænidæ (Dolphin, Sun-fish), 452—Nomeidæ, 455—Scombridæ (Mackerel, Tunny, Bonito, Albacore, Sucking-fish), 456—Trachinidæ (Stare-gazer, Weever, etc.), 462—Malacanthidæ, 467—Batrachidæ, 467—Psychrolutidæ, 469—Pediculati (Angler, Antennarius, etc.), 469—Cottidæ (Bull-heads, Gurnards), 476—Cataphracti (Flying Gurnards), 480—Pegasidæ, 482.
IX. A. gobiiformes 483
Families: Discoboli (Lump-suckers), 483—Gobiidæ (Gobies, Dragonets), 485.
X. A. blenniiformes 490
Families: Cepolidæ (Band-fishes), 490—Trichonotidæ, 490—Heterolepidotidæ, 491—Blenniidæ (Wolf-fish, Blennies), 492—Acanthoclinidæ, 498—Mastacembelidæ, 499.
XI. A. mugiliformes 499
Families: Sphyrænidæ (Barracudas), 499—Atherinidæ (Atherines), 500—Mugilidæ (Mullets), 501.
XII. A. gastrosteiformes 504
Families: Gastrosteidæ (Sticklebacks), 504—Fistulariidæ (Flute-mouths), 507.
XIII. A. centrisciformes 508
Family: Centriscidæ, 508.
XIV. A. gobiesociformes 510
Family: Gobiesocidæ, 512.
XV. A. channiformes 513
Family: Ophiocephalidæ, 513.
XVI. A. labyrinthibranchii 514
Families: Labyrinthici (Climbing Perch, Gourami), 514—Luciocephalidæ, 519.
XVII. A. lophotiformes 519
Family: Lophotidæ, 519.
XVIII. A. tæniiformes 520
Family: Trachypteridæ (Ribbon-fishes), 520.
XIX. A. notacanthiformes 523
Family: Notacanthidæ, 523.
Second Order—Acanthopterygii Pharyngognathi 523
Families: Pomacentridæ (Coral-fishes), 524—Labridæ (Wrasses, Parrot-wrasses), 525—Embiotocidæ, 533—Chromides, 534.
Third Order—Anacanthini 537
I. A. gadoidei 537
Families: Lycodidæ, 537—Gadidæ (Cod-fishes, Hake, Burbot, Ling, Rockling, Torsk), 539—Ophidiidæ (Brotula, Fierasfer, Sand-eel, Congrogadus), 546—Macruridæ, 551.
II. A. pleuronectoidei 553
Family: Pleuronectidæ (Flat-fishes), 553.
Fourth Order—Physostomi 559
Families: Siluridæ; their skeleton, 559—divided into eight subdivisions and sixteen groups; Clariina, 563—Plotosina, 563—Silurina, 565—Hypophthalmina, 566—Bagrina, 567—Amiurina, 567—Pimelodina, 568—Ariina, 569—Doradina, 572—Rhinoglanina, 573—Malapterurina (Electric Catfish), 574—Hypostomatina (Preñadillas, Loricaria, etc.), 575—Aspredinina, 580—Nematogenyina and Trichomycterina, 581—Stegopholina, 581.
Families of Physostomi continued: Scopelidæ, 582—Cyprinidæ (Carps), 587—divided into fourteen groups, viz. Catostomina (Suckers), 588—Cyprinina (Carp, Crucian Carp, Gold-fish, Barbels, Gudgeons), 589—Rohteichthyina, 596—Leptobarbina, 597—Rasborina, 597—Semiplotina, 598—Xenocypridina, 598—Leuciscina (White fish, Tench, Dace, etc.), 598—Rhodeina, 601—Danionina, 601—Hypophthalmichthyina, 602—Abramidina (Bream, Bleak), 602—Homalopterina, 604—Cobitidina (Loaches), 604.
Families of Physostomi continued: Kneriidæ, 606—Characinidæ, 606—Cyprinodontidæ, 613—Heteropygii (Blind Fish of the Mammoth Cave), 618—Umbridæ, 619—Scombresocidæ (Gar-pike, Saury, Half-beak, Flying Fish), 619—Esocidæ (Pike), 623—Galaxiidæ, 624—Mormyridæ, 625—Sternoptychidæ, 627—Stomiatidæ, 629.
Families of Physostomi continued—Salmonidæ: Salmo, difficulty of distinguishing species, 630; constant specific characters, 635—hybrids, 638—sexual development, 638—migratory species and their retention in freshwater, 639—Growth of Salmonoids, 641—their domestication and acclimatisation, 641—species enumerated, 642—Smelt and Capelin, 646—Coregonus, 647—Grayling, 649—marine genera, 650.
Families of Physostomi continued: Percopsidæ, 651—Haplochitonidæ, 651—Gonorhynchidæ, 652—Hyodontidæ (Moon-eye), 653—Pantodontidæ, 653—Osteoglossidæ, 653—Clupeidæ (Herrings, Anchovies, Shads, Mossbanker, Menhaden, etc.), 655—Bathythrissidæ, 663—Chirocentridæ, 663—Alepocephalidæ, 664—Notopteridæ, 664—Halosauridæ, 665—Hoplopleuridæ, 665—Gymnotidæ (Electric Eel), 666—Symbranchidæ, 668—Murænidæ (Eels, Congers, Murænas, etc.), 669.
Fifth Order—Lophobranchii 678
Families: Solenostomidæ, 678—Syngnathidæ (Pipe-fishes, Sea-horses), 679.
Sixth Order—Plectognathi 683
Families: Sclerodermi (File-fishes, Coffer-fishes), 684—Gymnodontes (Globe-fishes, Sun-fish), 686.
Third Sub-class—Cyclostomata.
Families: Petromyzontidæ (Lampreys), 691—Myxinidæ, 694.
Fourth Sub-class—Leptocardii.
Family: Cirrhostomi (Lancelets), 696.
APPENDIX.
Directions for Collecting and Preserving Fishes 697
Alphabetical Index 707