CLASS PISCES. 133 



The second family of the acanthopterygii, 



Fish with armed cheeks. 



Contains a numerous series of fish, to which the sin- 

 gular appearance of their head, variously bristled and 

 covered with armour, gives a peculiar physiognomy, 

 and has caused them always to be classed in special 

 genera, although they have many things in common 

 with the perch. Their general character consists in 

 having the suborbital bone more or less extended 

 over the cheek, and articulated behind with the preo- 

 perculum. The genus urancoscopus, of the preceding 

 family, is the only one which approximates to these ; 

 but in them the suborbitals, though very large, are 

 attached behind to the temporal bones, and not to the 

 preoperculum. 



Linnagus made three genera of them, Trigla, Cottus, 

 and Scorpce?ia; but it is necessary to subdivide them, 

 and a part of his gasterostrei should be joined to them. 



Trigla ', Lin. 



Are those who have this character most marked; their 

 enormous suborbital bone entirely covers the cheek, 

 and is articulated even by an immoveable suture to 

 thepreoperculum, which cannot move without it. The 

 sides of the head, nearly vertical, give it a form ap- 



1 Tp/y\?j was the Greek name of the Mullet. Artedi united 

 these two genera, and since they have been separated this name has 

 been left to them. 



