CLASS PISCES. 215 



spine on each side of the tail, that is as sharp as a 

 lancet, and inflicts severe wounds on those who care- 

 lessly handle these fishes ; hence their vulgar name of 

 Surgeons. They inhabit the hot parts of both oceans \ 



The dorsal of some species is very high 2 . 



Some have a sort of brush, composed of stiff hairs, 

 before the lateral spine 3 . 



In others, again, the teeth are deeply notched, or 

 pectinated on one side 4 . 



Prionurus, Lacep., 



Only differs from the preceding genus in the armature 

 of the sides of the tail, which consists of a suite of 

 fixed, horizontal, and trenchant laminae 5 . 



1 Chcetodon chirurgus, Bl. 208. Theutis hepatus, L., Seb. III. 

 xxxiii. f. 3. Ac. glauco-pareius, Cuv., Seb. III. xxv. 3., which 

 appears to be the true Chcetodon nigricans, L. Chest, trioslegus, 

 Brousson., Dec. Icht. No. 4., or Acanthure zebre, Lacep., which is 

 also his Chest, zebre, III. xxv. 3. Ac. girftatus, Bl. Schn. Ac. 

 suillus, Cuv., Renard, i. pi. xiv. f. 82. Chest, lineatus, L., Seb. III. 

 xxv. 1. Chest. Achilles, Broussonnet. Chest, meta, Russ. 82. 

 Chest, sohal, Forsk. of which Lacep. has very improperly made a 

 genus under the name of Apisurus. Ac. striatus, Cuv., Paningu, 

 Renard, pi. i. f. 8. Ac. argente, Quoy and Gaym. Voy. Freycin. 

 p. 63. f. 3. Chest, nigrofuscus, Forsk. Chest, nigricans, Bl. 203. 

 which is not that of Linnaeus. 



2 - Ac. velifer, Bl. 427- 



3 Ac. scopas, Cuv., Renard, i. pi. xi. 101. 



' Ac. ctenodon, Cuv., a new species. 



3 Prionure microlepidote, Lacep. An. Mus. iv. p. 205. Acanthurus, 

 scalprum, Langsdorf. 



