296 PISCES. 



Sci<ena, of which there are seven subgenera. The general characters are, — the head inflated, and supported by 

 cavernous bones ; two dorsals, or one deeply notched, the soft part much longer than the spinous ; the anal short, 

 the pre-operculum toothed, and the operculum divided into points at its extremity; seven arches in the gills. 

 They resemble the Perches, only they have no teeth in the palate ; their whole head is scaly, their air-bladder 

 often curiously fringed, and the stony appendages in the ear larger than in most fishes. The following are the 

 subgenera : — 



Scnena, or Maigres, properly so called, which have the spines of the anal weak, and neither elongated canine 

 teeth nor cirri at the mouth. One species, S. umbra, inhabits the Mediterranean, and used to be highly esteemed, 

 but has latterly become rare. It grows to the length of six feet or more. Some other species of this subgenus 

 are found in the Southern and Indian Seas. 



Oto/ithus, has the anal spines weak, and no cirri, some elongated or canine teeth, and two horns attached to the 

 air-bladder, and erected forwards. They are Indian and American fishes; one is known as the Stone Perch of 

 Pondicherry. Ancylodon, resembles the former, but has a short muzzle, long canine teeth, and a pointed tail. 

 Corvina, small and crowded teeth, with neither canines nor cirri ; the second anal spine rather strong. One, 

 species, C. nigra, is abundant in the Mediterranean, and there are others in the Indian and American seas. 

 Johnius, resembles the last, but has the second anal spine weaker, and shorter than the soft rays. They are found 

 in the seas of India, Tropical Africa, and America, and are esteemed as food, their flesh being white and easy of 

 digestion. Umbrina, distinguished by a cirrus on the lower jaw. A remarkably beautiful fish, found plentifully 

 in the Mediterranean, and occasionally on the southern coasts of Britain. Its ground colour is golden, with bright 

 bands of steel blue ; and its flesh is excellent. It is not a very long fish, but is sometimes forty pounds in weight. 

 Pogonias, somewhat like the former, but with several cirri below the jaw. Some of them are silvery, and attain 

 the size of an Umbrina. This fish produces much more sound than any of the other Sciaenidae, on which account 

 it is sometimes called the Drum-fish. 



Eques, has a long and compressed body, elevated at the shoulders, and tapering to the tail ; the teeth are small 

 and closely set ; the first dorsal is high, the second long and scaly ; and they all belong to the American seas. 



The Sciaenidae with a single dorsal fin, are subdivided according to the number of the gill-rays. 

 Those which have seven, correspond to some genera of the Sparida:, and have the pre-operculuin always 

 notched. The following genera have seven gill-rays : — 



Hcrmulon, has the muzzle lengthened, resembling that of a Hog ; the lower jaw compressed, opening very wide 

 and of a bright red. Hence they are called " Red-throats " in the West Indian Islands. Their teeth are small, and 

 closely set; and their dorsal fin is slightly notched, having the soft part scaly. They inhabit the American seas. 



Pristipoma, have pores in the jaw, like the last species, but the muzzle thicker, the mouth not so deeply cleft, 

 and their dorsal and anal fins without scales. The obtuse angle of the operculum is concealed by a membrane. 

 They are numerous, and inhabit the warm latitudes of both oceans. 



Digramma, resemble the last-named, except that the cavity of the symphysis is wanting, and there are two large 

 pores beneath each side. They are found in both oceans. Those of the Atlantic have large scales, and those of 

 the Indian Ocean smaller, and a shorter and thicker muzzle. 



The Sciaenidae with a single dorsal, and less than seven gill-rays, admit of more subdivision. Some 

 have the lateral line extending to the caudal fin, others have it interrupted. The following genera 

 possess the former character : — 



Lobotes, have the muzzle short, the lower jaw prominent, the body high, and the posterior angle of the dorsal 

 and anal fins so elongated, as, with the rounded caudal fin, to appear in three lobes. There are four groups of very 

 small points near the end of the jaw. They inhabit both oceans. 



Cheilodaetylis, have the body long, the mouth small, many spinous rays in the dorsal, and the lower rays of the 

 pectorals simple, and produced beyond the membrane. 



Scolopsides, have the second suborbital plate toothed, and terminated by a point directed backwards, crossing 

 another point of the third suborbital, directed the contrary way. The body is oblong, mouth little cleft, teeth 

 velvety, scales large, and no pores in the jaws. They inhabit the Indian seas. 



Micropteres, have the body oblong, three spines on each side of the jaw, and the last rays of the soft part of the 

 dorsal separated from the others, and forming a small peculiar fin. They have the operculum without notches. 



The Sciaenidae with less than seven gill-rays, and the lateral line interrupted, form several genera of 

 small oval fishes, generally finely coloured, and distinguished by the armature of their heads. They 

 have a nearer relation to the genus Choetodon, and resemble some of the fishes with labyrinthic 

 branchiae. The following are the genera : — 



Amphitrion, with the pre-operculum and three operculum pieces dentelated, the latter produced on a single row 

 of blunt teeth. Pomacentres, have the pre-operculum dentelated, the operculum without armature, and a single 

 row of trenchant teeth. Premnas, have one or two stout spines on the suborbital, and the pre-operculum toothed. 

 Bascyllus, resemble Pomacentres, except in having the teeth very small, and thickly crowded. All the genera in- 

 habit the Indian seas. 



Glyphisodm, with the gill-lids entire, and a single row of trenchant and generally notched teeth. They are 

 found in the Atlantic, but more abundantly in the Indian seas. 



Helianus, resemble the preceding genus in their operculum, but have the teeth small and velvety. 



