162 ORDER ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



The acanthopterygii of the fourth family, or the 



Sparoides, , 



Have, like the scisenoides, the palate destitute of 

 teeth ; their general forms, and several details of their 

 organization are the same ; they are also covered 

 with scales more or less large, but they have none to 

 the fins. Their muzzle is not gibbous, nor the bones of 

 their head cavernous. There are neither denticulations 

 to their preoperculnm, nor spines on their operculum ; 

 their pylorus is furnished with ccecal appendages. 

 They have never more than six rays to the gills. 

 They are divided according to the form of their teeth. 

 In the first tribe, that of Sparus, Cuv., the sides of 

 the jaws are paved with round molars ; we subdivide 

 it into five genera. 



S argus, Cuv. 



Trenchant incisors in front of the jaws, almost similar 

 to those of man. 



Several of them, which differ but little from each 

 other, inhabit the Mediterranean, and are even found 

 in the Bay of Biscay. They are marked with ver- 

 tical black bands upon a silver ground \ 



1 Le S argue de Rondelet ( S argus raucus, Geoff.), Eg. Poiss., pi. 

 xviii. 1., Rondelet 122. Sp. pantazzo, of Risso. Sargus vulgarus, 

 G. Eg. xviii. 2. Salviani, fol. 179. Fish 64. Sargus annularis, lu., 

 Rondel. 118., Salv. 63. ; Laroche, Ann. Mus. xiii. pi. xxiv. f. 13. 

 Sp. ovis, Mitch., or sheephead of the Anglo Americans. 



