ACAXTIIOpTERYGII. 



301 



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fishes wit)i the mouth greatly projectile, and few and weak teeth. They differ much, and require 

 division into various subgenera. 



Zeus, tlie Dor\ r , has the first dorsal deeply notched 

 between the spines, and the intermediate membranes 

 extend into long filaments, together with the forked 

 spines along the bases of the dorsals and the anal. 

 One species, the Common Dory (John Dory) is yel- 

 lowish brown, with golden or silvery reflections, 

 according to the position of the light, with a round 

 black spot margined with white on the shoulder. 

 [The Dory has been a renowned fish since the days of 

 the ancients, who styled it not the fish of Jove, but 

 Zeus, that is, Jove himself. The religious also claimed 

 it as the "Tribute-money-fish," from the black marks 

 Of the thumb and fingers of St. Peter on the shoulders, 

 in which it is the rival of the Haddock — neither of 

 which fishes Peter had any chance of seeing. It is 

 still held in great estimation by epicures; and being a 

 ground fish, it keeps two or three days, and is all the 

 H* 137-— The Dory. better for it.] 



Caprcu, the Boar-fish, has the notched dorsal of the Dory, but no spines along the dorsal or anal j it has the 



mouth still more projectile than the Dory, the body 



covered with rough scales, and the fins entirely with- 

 out filaments. [Its flesh in little esteem.] 



Lamprit, has a single dorsal very high anteriorly, 



as also is the anal, which has one small spine before 



its base ; sides of the tail with keels; ventrals and 



caudal lobes very long, but subject to be worn awaj ; 



colour, violet, spotted with white, and the tins red. 



Inhabits the Arctic seas, and grows to a large Bize. 



| In Britain it is known as the Opah, 01 King fish.J 



i'.qnutit. due dorsal with several spines, the fore- 

 most occasionally long, snout much protracted, 



body compressed, and edges of the back and belly 



toothed with fins. They are small fishes, several 



of which inhabit the Indian Ocean, and some of 



them have the power of contracting the snout 



when at rest, and projecting it suddenly for the 



capture of those small fishes on which they feed. 

 Menat, has the snout as in the last, but the body 



more compressed, the abdomen trenchant and \ ery 



convex, but the back nearly straight ; the ventrals 



are behind the pectorals, but still attached to the shoulder. 



with a black spot near the back. 

 Btromatetu. This genus has the same compressed form as Zens, and the same smooth epidermis; but the 



muzzle is blunt, and not protractile. It has a single dorsal, with a few concealed Bpines anteriorly, but no 



\ entrala. The vertical tins are thickened as in the scaly -tinned fishes ; the gullet has a number of spines attached 



to the membrane. They are found in the .Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, and Pacific. Some of the apei 



differ s goo I deal in form. 



Peprilut, has the pelvis trenchant and pointed before the vent, resembling rudimental ventrals, and some 



species ii i\ •■ this part toothed. 

 Luvanu, resembles the former, but has no trenchant blade on the pelvis, only a small scale, which covers th 



vent, and a prominent keel on each side of the tall. A large species, silvery, with a reddish back, i-. found in th 



Buroi 

 Sererinut. AJi the characters of the last genus, save that there are little rudiments of veutrmls, imall 



Bpei lea is known in the Mediterranean, 

 Kurtut, resemble Peprilos, but differ in having the dorsal Bhorter, and the ventrals larger; the anal Is long, and 



the scales so minute as to i»- invisible till the skin is dried. The] have seven gill-rays, a spine between the 



ventrals, and some small trenchant plat - before the dorsal, which has s B] ted forward al its base. The 



ribs are dilated, convex, and form a continuous annular tube, which extends so far under the tail, and i ontaina 



the air-bladder. Borne bave a little carl hoi n In advance ol the plates before the dorsal, I hej are (bund 



in the Indian seas. 



Dorades, or Gold-fishes, the Dolphins of the ancients, and of the modern Hollanders. 

 Thej have the bodj long, compressed, and covered with small scales ; the head tren< bant in the upper 





Mil £ " 



Fig. 138.— The Doarfish. 



One only is known, of the Indian Ocean, silver] , 



