114 



The renewal of the teeth in fishes seems to take place at 

 uncertain periods, apparently with some reference to the 

 accidental wants of the animal ; the new tooth sometimes 

 grows beneath, sometimes at the side, or behind or before the 

 old teeth, which are loosened at their attachment, not worn 

 down, and thus thrown off. 



Fishes may have teeth attached to all the bones that 

 assist in forming the cavity of the mouth and pharynx 

 to the intermaxillary, maxillary, and palatine bones, the 

 vomcr, the tongue, the branchial arches supporting the gills, 

 and the pharyngeal bones ; there are genera, the species of 

 which have teeth attached to all these various bones : some- 

 times these teeth are uniform in shape, at others differing. 

 One or more of these bones are sometimes without teeth of 

 any sort ; and there are fishes that have no teeth whatever on 

 any of them. The teeth are named in reference to the bone 

 upon which they are placed, and are referred to as inter- 

 maxillary, maxillary, palatine, vomerine, &c. depending upon 

 their position. 



To return to the Gilt-head : The body is deepest at the 

 commencement of the dorsal fin : the head short and ele- 

 vated ; the irides golden yellow, the pupils black ; the semi- 

 lunar spot over the eye of a brilliant golden colour ; and 

 there is a violet-coloured patch at the upper part of the edge 

 of the operculum ; the scales of the cheeks smaller than those 

 of the body : the teeth in an adult fish are as shown by the 

 vignette, but in young fishes of this species the teeth are 

 fewer in number. The fin-rays are, 



D. 11 + 13 : P. 16 : V. 1 + 5 : A. 3 -f 11 : C. 17. 



The back is silvery grey shaded with blue ; the belly like 

 polished steel, with longitudinal golden-coloured bands on 

 the sides, that give them a yellow appearance : the fins are 



