Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/140

 frequently slimy skin—an order which consists of only one family. Type, the eel.”

“Middling, middling!” said Ned.

“Fifthly,” said Conseil, “the ‘lophobranchiata,’ which have jaws complete and free, but whose gills are formed of little tufts, placed in pairs along the branchial arches. This order has only one family. Type, the sea-horse.”

“Bad, bad!” replied the harpooner.

“Sixthly, and lastly,” said Conseil, “are the ‘plectognathes,’ whose maxillary bone is firmly fixed to the intermaxillary, which forms the jaw, and of which the ‘palatine anal’ is connected by suture with the skull, which renders it immoveable—an order which has no true ventrals, and consists of two families. Type, the sun-fish.”

“Would disgrace a copper,” said Ned.

“Do you understand, friend Ned?” asked the learned Conseil.

“Not the least in the world, friend Conseil. But go on, for it is very interesting.”

“The cartilaginous fishes,” replied Conseil, “only include three orders.”

“So much the better,” said Ned.

“First come the cyclostomi, whose jaws are connected by a moveable ring, and the gills open in numerous holes—an order which includes only one family; type, the lamprey. Secondly, the selacians, with gills resembling those of the cyclostomi, but whose lower jaw is moveable. This order, which is the most important of its class, comprehends two families; types, the ray and the shark.”

“What!” cried Ned, “rays and sharks in the same