compare table names - Mailing list pgsql-sql

I have these 3 tables:
    tablename      
--------------------tmp_staging0109tmp_staging1229tmp_staging0108


I'd like this query:

select tablename from pg_tables where tablename like 'tmp_staging%' and tablename < 'tmp_staging1230';

To return this result:
    tablename      
--------------------tmp_staging1229

However, I'm receiving:
    tablename      
--------------------tmp_staging0109tmp_staging1229tmp_staging0108

How can I write this correctly?

Thanks.
Tony