228 THE CH^TODONTINA. 



wary and timid, and is very difficult to take with a hook ; though they are captured in num- 

 bers by the seine. 



THE well-known COMMON SEA-BREAM (Pagellus centrodontus) is a handsome fish, notable 

 for its large round eyes, and the reddish-gray hue of its body. It is sometimes called 

 the GILT-HEAD, because part of the head looks as if it were silvered, and when young, it 

 goes by the name of CHAD. The general color is reddish with a tinge of gray, becoming 

 light on the sides, and fading into white below. A few very faint bands are drawn along 

 the sides. 



As allusion has been made to the term GILT-HEAD as one of the popular names of the sea- 

 bream, it is as well to mention that the title rightly belongs to a closely allied species, Chryso- 

 phrys aurata, a fish that properly inhabits the Mediterranean. 



This fish derives its name from a semilunar golden spot over the eye. At the upper part 

 of the edge of the operculum there is a violet patch. The back is blue, fading delicately into 

 silver-gray, and the sides are longitudinally banded with golden streaks. The fins are grayish- 

 blue, and at the bases of the dorsal and anal fins the scales are so raised at each side, that the 

 fin looks as if it were set in a groove. This arrangement is seen in many of the fish belonging 

 to this family. It is represented through the lower figure in the illustration on page 227. 



SCALY-FINNED FISHES ; SQUAMIPINNES. 



WE now arrive at a large family, containing a series of fishes remarkable for their extraor- 

 dinary shape, their bold and eccentric coloring, and their curious habits. In Dr. Gunther's 

 elaborate arrangement of the Acanthopterygiian fishes, this family is called by the name of 

 Squamipinnes, or scaly-finned fishes, because "the vertical fins are more or less densely cov- 

 ered with small scales ; " the spinous portions sometimes not scaly. They are nearly all car- 

 nivorous fishes, and for the most part are exclusively inhabitants of the tropical seas or rivers. 

 Their bodies are very much compressed and extremely deep in proportion to their length, and 

 the mouth is usually small and placed in front of the snout. 



CHyETODONTINA. 



THE large family of Chcetodontidce the Chetodonts so called from the Greek, meaning 

 bristle-tooth, embraces one hundred and seventy species, in about five genera. They are car- 

 nivorous fishes ; most of them belonging to the genera Pomacanthus and Chatodon. They 

 C remarkable for their extraordinary shape, bold and eccentric coloring, and curious habits. 

 B special characteristic is that the body is deep, often extremely BO, and very thin or com- 

 pressed, comparatively. The mouth is usually very small and placed in front of the snout. 



The ANGEL-FISH (Pomacanthus tillaris), called also ISABELITA in the West Indies, is found 

 on our southern coast, and is quite abundant in the waters of the Florida Reef. It is one of 

 the most beautiful of fishes, and has been eagerly sought for aquaria. Mr. Barnum, who first 

 put in operation a sea-water aquarium, sent some assistants to the Florida Reef in the winter 

 of 1859-60. The editor of this edition was then resident of Fort Jefferson, Tortugas, where the 

 party ultimately arrived. In order to fit up Mr. Barnum' s aquarium in New York City with 

 the beautiful fishes and marine objects that are so abundant in the waters of the Florida Reef, 

 we, who felt much interest in desiring our northern people to enjoy some of the beauties of 

 the coral reefs, gave them all assistance. We encircled a lot of old roots that were lying in 

 shallow water, the most favorable places for finding the Angel-fishes and many rare forms. 

 When the seines were ready to haul, the roots were turned over, and the fishes and other 



