264 ORDER ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



intermaxillary and premandibular bones,) which are 

 convex, rounded, and furnished with teeth arranged 

 like scales upon their edge, and upon their anterior 

 surface ; these teeth succeed each other from behind, 

 forwards, so that those of the base are the newest, 

 and in time form a row upon the edge : naturalists 

 have erroneously thought that the bone itself was 

 naked; besides, during the life of the fish, its jaws are 

 covered by fleshy lips, but there is no double one ad- 

 hering to the suborbital. They have the oblong form 

 of a labrus, large scales, and an interrupted lateral 

 line ; they have three pharyngeal plates, two above, 

 and one below, furnished with teeth, as in the labrus; 

 but these teeth are transverse blades, and not rounded 

 like paving stones. 



A species blue or red, according to the season, is 

 found in the Archipelago, which is the Scams creticus, 

 Aldrov. Pise. p. 8., and which late researches have 

 convinced me is the scarus, so highly celebrated 

 among the ancients; the same that Elipertius Optatus, 

 commander of a Roman fleet, during the reign of 

 Claudius, went to Greece in search of, for the purpose 

 of distributing it through the seas of Italy. It is an 

 article of food in Greece at the present day. It is 

 not the Sc. cretensis, Bl. 228. 



Numerous species are found in the seas of hot 

 climates. The form of their jaws and the splendour 

 of their colours have caused them to receive the 

 vulgar appellation of Parrot-fishes. 



