CLASS PISCES. 159 



ScOLOPSIDES, CuV. 



Have the second suborbital bone denticulated, and ter- 

 minated near the edge of the orbit by a point turned 

 backwards, and which is crossed with a point of the 

 third suborbital turned contrary wise. Their body is 

 oblong, mouth narrow, teeth even, scales tolerably 

 large, jaws not porous. They inhabit the Indian 

 seas ! . 



Micropterus, Lacep. 



Have an oblong body, three pores on each side of the 

 symphysis, and the latter rays of the soft part of their 

 dorsal separated from the others, and forming a small 

 separate fin. The operculum is not denticulated 2 . 



The sciaenoides with fewer than seven branchial 

 rays, and with the lateral line interrupted, form se- 

 veral genera of small oval fishes, most of them beau- 

 tifully variegated : they may be distinguished as follows, 

 according to the armature of the head. They are 

 evidentlv allied to the chastodons, and resemble out- 

 wardly many of our fishes with labyrinthian gills. 



1 Scol. kate, Cuv., called by Bloch Anthias japonicus, 325. f. 2. 

 Anth. Vosmeri, Bl. 321., plate very incorrect, and the same as Perca 

 aurata, Mungo Park, Trans., Lin. iii. 35. J nth. bilineatus, Bl. 325. 

 1. Scol. kurita, Cuv., Russell 106. Scol. lycogenis, Cuv., or 

 Holocentrc cll'ie, Lacep. iv. 371. Scicena ghanam, Forsk., and 

 many new specii. 



2 Only one is known, the Microptere Dolomieu, Lacep. iv. 3. 3. 

 There are a few small genera of this subdivision, that we shall ex- 

 plain better in our fifth volume. 



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