232 couch's sea bream. 



the course of the lateral line. At the vent the body appeared 

 as if constricted. Colour of the front and top of the head 

 brownish red; of the back and fins as if formed by a mixture 

 of lake and vermilion; the fins of the same colour, except the 

 anal, which is pale yellow; sides pale red; belly whitish. Iris 

 of the eye yellow. As the colours faded there appeared a 

 yellow margin at the angles where the scales met. There was 

 a gathering up at the termination of the dorsal and anal fins, 

 as in the Becker, but less conspicuous, and more decidedly at 

 the anal than the dorsal fin. The tail concave, but less regu- 

 larly so than in most of the sparoid fishes. Third ray of the 

 pectoral fin the longest. 



Fin rays dorsal twelve firm and ten soft, pectoral thirteen, 

 ventral four, anal three firm and eight soft. 



The remarkable shortness of the head, with the roundness 

 and steepness in the declivity of the front, equality of the jaws, 

 stoutness and interlocking of the teeth, and singular form of 

 the chin, are sufficient to distinguish this species from every 

 other recognised as British; and at the same time it so nearly 

 agrees with the figure and description of Orphe, as given 

 by Rondeletius, that I have little hesitation in believing it to 

 be the same fish. The only difference I can find is, that he 

 represents the vent as being very small; which is the contrary 

 to what w r as perceptible in my example; but a variety of 

 circumstances will explain this slight discrepancy. 



Among ancient writers there appears to be much disagreement 

 regarding this fish, but the difference of their accounts will be 

 explained when we call to mind that with them several very 

 different species bore the same name, and even that one so 

 denominated the Hud is a fish of the fresh-water. Oppian 

 appears to represent it as devouring shell-fish, "which is not 

 improbable when we take into account the form and solid 

 structure of its grinding teeth; but he further states what 

 would be highly remarkable, if true: 



-slow-dying Orfs, 



Whose bodies long will stubborn life retain. 

 Repeated wounds the tortured wretches feel, 

 Yet dare the cruel hand and cutting steel; 

 The parts disjoined and mangled as they lie, 

 iStill pant and move, and will at leisure die. 



