102 ORDER ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



The Perch (properly so called) Perca, Cuv. 



Have the preoperculum indented ; the osseous oper- 

 culum terminated by two or three sharp points ; the 

 tongue smooth. Sometimes the suborbital and the 

 humeral bones are indented, though slightly. 



The common Perch, Perca fluvialis, L. Bl. 52. 



Greenish, with large vertical blackish bands ; the ven- 

 tral and anal fin red. This is one of the prettiest and 

 best of our fresh water fish. They live in pure wa- 

 ters. Their eggs are united by a viscosity into long 

 interlaced cordons. North America produces some 

 species allied to this 1 . 



Labrax, Cuv. The Basse. 



Are distinguished from the perch by scaly opercula, 

 terminated with two spines, and by a tongue covered 

 with prickles. 



The common Basse, Labrax lupus, Cuv. Perca labrax, Lin. Sc. 

 diacantha, Bl. 305. Cuv. and Val. ii. xi. 



Is a large fish of our coasts, of an excellent flavour and 

 silvery colour. It is especially very common in the 



1 Perc.Jlavcscens, Cuv. and Val. ii. p. 46. P. serrato granulata. 

 ib. 47- P. granulata, ib. 48. and pi. ix. P. acuta, ib. 49. and pi. 

 x. P. gracilis, ib. 50. Add P. plumieri or scicena plumieri, Bl. 306. 

 or centropome plunder, and cheilodiptere chrysoptere, Lacep. iii. 

 xxxiii. P. ciliata, Kuhl. P. marg'mata, Cuv. and Val. 53. 



