150 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Genus I. Sci^NA (Artedi), Cuvier. 



Johnius, Bloch : Corvina and Stellifer, Cnvier : Bola, sp. Ham. Buch. : 

 Leiostomus, Cuv. and Yal. : Coracinas, Pallas : Homoprion, Holb. : Amblyodon, 

 Raf . : Gheilotrema, v. Tsch. : Genyonemus, Plagioscion, Sciamops, Bairdiella, 

 Haploinodotus, Bhinoscion and Ophioscion, Gill : Biplolepis, Steind. : Pseudoscicena, 

 Bleeker. 



BrancMostegals seven : pseudobranchim present. Body oblong, rather elongated 

 and compressed. Eyes of moderate size. Interorbital space broad, convex. Snout 

 rounded, sometimes overhanging the upper jaw, which last is longer than the lower, 

 or both are of about equal length. Cleft of 'mouth nearly or quite horizontal. No 

 central barbel beneath the symphysis of the lower jaw. Teeth villiform, with an outer 

 enlarged row in the premaxillaries, and sometimes the inner row in the mandibles 

 is enlarged. No distinct canines. Two dorsal fins, the first with 9-10 spines and 

 connected at its base to the second which is of moderate length (23-32 rays). Anal 

 with one or tivo spines. Scales ctenoid or cycloid, extending over the head and snout, 

 and' generally more or less present over the bases of the vertical fins and on the tail. 

 Air-bladder present (except in some American species). Pyloric appendages in 

 moderate numbers or few. 



Bleeker divided this genus into Pseudosciama having the inner row of teeth 

 in the lower jaw distinctly the larger, and Johnius without any such enlarged row. 



Salvianus considered the term Sciama derived from (tklu, a shade or shadow, 

 denoting the rapidity of its movements as it flits through the water : Rondelet, 

 however, considered the shadows or bands related to the markings on the sides of 

 the fish. M. Dufosse states that the sounds emitted by these fishes have a mean of 

 twenty-five seconds, and also various notes, usually degenerating into a humming 

 sound, either from an excess or want of intensity. He suggests that the song of 

 the fabled Sirens had its origin in the utterances of shoals of maigres, and tells 

 us also, on what he believed to be reliable testimony, that a sea captain going 

 up the Gironde when he first heard the maigres song, was thrown into great 

 alarm, supposing that his vessel had sprung a leak and water was flowing into 

 his hold. 



Geographical distribution. From Scandinavia to the British shores and 

 Mediterranean, through the Atlantic, Indian, and North Pacific Oceans, being 

 most abundant in their tropical portions. Also the fresh waters of the United 

 States. 



Some ascend fresh water rivers, as the S. coitor, H. B., in India : while others 

 as S. Bichardsonii, C. V. reside entirely in Lake Huron. 



1. Scisena aquila, Plate L. 



2kiVa, Aristot. Hist. Anim. viii, c. 19. 



Latus, Rondel, v, c. 10, p. 135, c. fig. ; Gesner, ed. 1598, f. 29, c. fig. Umbra, 

 Salvian. fol. 105a; Belon. pp. 117, 119. Sciama sive Umbra, Jonston, De Pise, 

 lib. i, t. ii, c. 1, art. 13, p. 51, t. xv, f. 9. Umbra Bondeletii, Will. p. 299, t. S 19. 

 Maigre, Duharnel, Peches, ii, sect, vi, p. 137, pi. i, f. 3. 



Labrus hololepidotus, Lacep. iii, p. 517, pi. xxi, f. 2. 



Scicena umbra, Lacep. iv, p. 314; Cuv. Mem. Mus. i, p. 1 and Regne Anim. 



Gheilodipterus aquila, Lacep. v, p. 685. 



Perca vanloo, Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 298, t. ix, f. 30. 



Sciaina aquila, Risso, Eur. Merid. iii, p. 411 ; Cuv. and Val. v, p. 28, pi. c; 

 Neill, Edin. New. Phil. Journ., April, 1826, p. 135; Elem. Brit. Anim. p. 213 ; 

 Parnell, Fish. Firth of Forth, p. 40, and Wern. Mem. vii, p. 200 ; Tarrell, Brit. 

 Fish. (Eel. 1), i, p. 90, c. fig. (Ed. 2), i, p. 104 (Ed. 3), ii, p. 104; Nilss. Skan. 

 Fauna, p. 756 ; Cuv. Regne Anim. 111. Poissons ; Jenyns, Man. Brit. Vert. p. 352 ; 

 Thompson, N. H. Ireland, iv, p. 90 ; White, Catal. Brit. Fish. p. 16; Giinther, 

 Catal. ii, p. 291, and Mus. Godef. ix, p. 105; Schlegel, De Dieren Neder. p. 21, 

 pi. ii, f. 3; Steind. Ich. Span. u. Port. 1867, p. 38; Winther, Prod. Ich. Dan. 

 Mar. p. 12 ; Giglioli, Cat, Pesc. Ital. 1880, p. 24 ; Moreau, Poiss. France, ii, p. 398. 



