170 ORDER ACANTHOPTERYG1I. 



They inhabit the Indian Ocean, and are shaped like a 

 spindle \ -^ 



Gerrus, Cuv. Mocharra, in South America. 



The mouth protractile, but when advancing, it 

 descends ; the body is elevated, the anterior part of 

 the dorsal in particular, along the base of whose pos- 

 terior portion is a scaly sheath. They have no other 

 teeth than those in the jaws, which are small and 

 crowded. The first interspinal of their anal fin is 

 hollowed like a tunnel, as in certain pagri. They are 

 excellent food, and inhabit the hot parts of both 

 oceans 2 . 



G. rhombeus, Cuv., Sloane II. pi. ccliii. f. 1. This 



1 Ccesio asaror, Lacep. iii. 86., or Vackum, Valent. 132., or Can- 

 ihere douleux, Diet. Class. d'Hist. Nat. vol. iv. C. smarts, Cuv., 

 or Vackum mare, Renard i. pi. xxxii. f. 174. Bodianus argenteus, 

 Bl. 231., or Picarel raillard, Quoy and Gaym., Zool. Freycin. pi. 

 xliv. f. 3. Sparus cuning, Bl. 263., or Cychla cuning, Bl. Schn. p. 

 336. 



N.B. Lacepede also makes a Csesio of the Scomber equula of 

 Forsk., or Centrogaster equula of Gm., which is our Equula caballa. 



2 Labrus oyena, Forsk., Rupp. Voy. Poiss. pi. III. x. 2., or Spare 

 breton, Lacep. iv. 134., or Labre long museau, id. III. xix. 1. and 

 p. 467. Gerres aprion, Cuv., Catesb. II. xi. 2. G. rhombeus, Cuv., 

 or Stone-bass, Sloane, Jam. ii. pi. ccliii. f. 1. G. poieti, Cuv., Ren. 

 pi. ii. f. 9., talent. i\o. ^j4. C lineatus, Cuv., or Smarts linealus, 

 Humb., Zool. Obs. pi. xlvi. f. 2. Gerres argyreus, Cuv., or Scicrna 

 argyrea, Forster, or Cychla argyrca, Bl. Schn. G. Jilamenlosus, 

 Cuv., or JVordawahah, Russ. f. 68. 



