PEBCID.E. 



and Risso, this Polyprion, the only species of the genus, 

 is common in the Mediterranean, where it lives throughout 

 the year over rocky bottoms in deep water. The flesh is 

 white, tender, and of good flavour. M. Valenciennes says 

 it feeds on mollusca and small fishes ; he found sardines in 

 the stomach. 



The Rev. R. T. Lowe says this Polyprion is one of the most 

 common fish in the market at Madeira, where, when small, 

 it is called Chernotte, and when large Cherne, (pronounced 

 Shareny, by the Portuguese,) and Jew-fish by the English. 

 It is there also deservedly held in esteem for the table. 



Specimens taken at the Cape of Good Hope were sent by 

 M. Delaland to Baron Cuvier at Paris, who could perceive 

 no difference between them and specimens from the Medi- 

 terranean or the Channel. 



There is good reason to believe, on the authority of Dr. 

 Latham, as recorded by Schneider, that this fish also inhabits 

 the shores of America. 



In the fish here described, the length from the point of 

 the upper jaw to the posterior end of the horizontal bony 

 ridge on the operculum, is to the whole length of the fish, 

 exclusive of the caudal rays, as one to three ; the depth of 

 the fish in the vertical line of the origin of the ventral and 

 pectoral fins, is to the whole length, from the point of the 

 lower jaw when the mouth is open to the end of the caudal 

 rays, also as one to three ; the thickness of the fish equal to 

 half its height ; the lower jaw is the longer ; the nostrils 

 double, the openings circular ; the eyes dark brown ; the 

 peculiarities of the head, teeth, and gill-covers, are detailed 

 in the generic characters ; the ventral and pectoral fins have 

 their origin in a vertical line under the fourth spinous ray of 

 the dorsal fin ; the upper half of this fish is of a dark purplish 

 brown, the under part almost silvery white ; the membranes 

 connecting the various fin- rays dark brown ; the extreme mar- 



