ACANTIIOPTERYGII. '2<J3 



lengthened, and nearly round, one spinous and one soft-ray dorsal fin ; seven rays in the pills, (rill-opening large, 

 and with three free rays at the base of each pectoral. T. Hirundo, the Sapphirine Gurnard, with the pectorals of 

 immense size, but in most of its other characters analogous to the Red Gurnard. It is more abundant than that 

 BpecieSj and grows to a larger size. Is rather a dry fish, but the flavour is tolerably good, and it answers very 

 well for salting. There are various other species, chiefly found in the Mediterranean. 



The following genera, which are closely allied to the Gurnards, deserve some notice: — Prionolut, an 

 American fish, resembling the Sapphirine Gurnard, but with the pectorals so large, that they can support the 

 body during a considerable leap through the air. They have a characteristic band of small teeth, closely 

 crowded together, upon each parietal bone. Perutidion, a genus having the whole body mailed with large hex- 

 agonal scales, ranged in longitudinal rows. Their muzzle is divided in two, and there are cirri to the mouth, but 

 no teeth. Dactylopterus, celebrated as Flying Fishes. They have the subpectoral rays numerous, longer than the 

 body, and united by a membrane, so as to furnish large supplemental fins, by means of which the fishes can 

 protract their fall for a few minutes, when they spring from the water to escape the Coryphenes, and other ene- 

 mies ; but as the fishes cannot tly, or take a new impulse from the air, they speedily fall down and become the 

 victims of the pursuers. They are found in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean ; and are small fishes, seldom 

 more than a foot in length. Cephalacimthut, resembles the former, with the exception of the supplementary fins, 

 or wings, as they are sometimes improperly called. Cutlits, the Bull-head, of which there are several species. 

 They have the head depressed, with teeth in both jaws and in the front of the vomer, the gill-lids furnished with 

 spines; gills, with six rays, and large openings, bodies slender, and without scales; two dorsals, near to each other, 

 and the ventral fins small. Of these, C. gobio, the Miller's Thumb, is found in rivers; C. bubalis, which has the 

 gill-lids very spiny, C. guadricornit, with four short spinous processes on the top of the head, are found in the 

 sea : besides these there are some foreign species. 



Apidophorus, the Pogge, sometimes termed the Armed Bull-head, has the body octangular, and covered with 

 scaly plates, with recurved spines on the snout, and teeth in the jaws only ; it is a genus found in the Northern 

 Atlantic and Pacific, but the species are small and unimportant. 



Some groups, recently known, have the characters of Cottus, and of Scorp^ena. Of these we may notice 

 Hemitripte'rus, with two dorsals, a bristly head, and no scales on the body ; it varies in length from one to two feet, 

 and is found on the American shores. Hemilepidotui, has only one dorsal; teeth in the palate, and longitudinal 

 bands of scales, which are not visible till the body is dried; it occurs in the Pacific. Platycephalut, is found in 

 the Indian Ocean. It has large ventrals, with six ra>s placed behind the pectorals ; the head depressed, and sharp 

 and spinous at the sides, but not operculated. There are seven rays in the gills, a row of sharp teeth in the 

 palate, and the body covered with scales. 



Scorpana, of which there are two subgenera, which have the head rough, and hardened with plates, and are com- 

 pressed laterally; the body is scaly; and there is one dorsal fin. Except in the singular appearance of their 

 armed and tuberculated heads, they very much resemble the Perches. The subgenera are Scorptena, without 

 scales, but armed with spines, which are accounted dangerous. They are a gregarious fish, and have 

 their haunts among the rocks. Some allied species have the body much compressed, and a very high 

 dorsal fin, united to the caudal. Xebtistes, the Norway Haddock, rather a large species, with many spines on the 

 head, a long dorsal, of which the posterior portion has soft rays ; the eyes very large, and teeth in all the jaws. It 

 inhabits the northern seas, and the Greenlanders use its spines as needles. Pterois, Indian fishes, resembling 

 the last genus, but with no lateral and pectoral rays; remarkably long; their colour very beautiful; and no 

 tilth in the palate. Bleprias, inhabits the North Pacific; has hard cheeks, cirri on the lower jaw, live gill-rays, 

 small ventrals, and one dorsal, consisting of three lobes. Apistes, Treacherous, are small fishes, having a formid- 

 able spine on the suborbital plate, and branched rays in the pectorals. Some have seal.-, and -nine not. Agriopus, 

 want the spine of the former, have the dorsal very high, and reaching to between the eyes, a narrow muzzle, and 

 the body without scales. Ptlor, like Scorptena in their teeth ; two free rays in the pectorals, head flat, eyes close 

 together, dorsal spines very high, and whole appearance singular. Synanceja, as ugly as the former; the head 

 shapeless, tuberculated, and the skin loose. No teeth on the vomer or palate. Like most of the analogous genera, 

 they inhabit the warm seas, and this genus is considered poisonous. Monocentris, — body short, thick, com- 

 pletely covered with rough, angular plates, four or five stout spines in place of the first donal; each ventral a 

 single large spine ; head and mouth large; teeth on the jaws and palate, short and crowded; found near Japan. 

 Gasterotteut, Stickleback, a numerous and very common genus, found both in ires.: wa|ers and the sea. 

 Named from tin' free spines mi the buck, and a bony covering on the belly. Their ventrals, placed behind the 

 pectorals, consisl only of a single spine, and they have hut three rays and gills. There air several European 



species, distinguished chielly by the number and character of their spines. Though of small size, they are 



exceedingly voracious. Orcosoma, a small oval fish, with its body ail covered over with scaly cones; only one 

 species is known. 



Till: THIRD FAMILY OF THE ACANTHOPTERTGIL 



Sci.fcNlD.E (the Mucin: Family). 



These still resemble the Perches in the notches of the pre-opercuram ami operculum ; but the) have 

 no teeth on the vomer or palate. The muzzle is thickened, and there are a few scales on the d< 

 tins, of which fins some genera have one and others two. 



The following are the principal genera : — 



