DENTEX. 



205 



to the species, and even genus. The head is flat on the top, 

 and the eyes high on the cheek. Scales on the body and 

 gill-covers large. The lateral line passes nearer the back, and 

 descends towards the tail. Pectoral fin long and pointed; tail 

 concave; dorsal fin a little expanded at its end; anal fin 

 rather short. 



In regard to colour Risso represents it as beautifully varied, 

 and in this he is supported by Willoughby. He says the 

 general hue is silvery, interchanged on the back with light 

 blue, and having blue spots on the sides. In front of the 

 head there are waves of golden yellow, silver, and amethyst; 

 the eyes blue, with a golden iris. The dorsal fin a bluish 

 yellow; pectorals reddish; caudal a fainter red. Willoughby 

 describes the back as green or yellow, in the large examples 

 inclining to purj)le, dotted over with clouds of blue and dark, 

 the colour extending to the sides. At the roots of the hind- 

 most rays of the dorsal fin a black spot, as there is also at 

 the origin of the pectoral fin. Ventral fins yellow. 



A large example seen by Willoughby was red all over, 

 with a shade of purple; but the specimen represented by 

 Donovan, which we have figured, is of a more subdued colour 

 than is described above, as indeed might be expected from the 

 more cloudy skies and lower temperature of the water of our 

 more northern regions; for, as we have had repeated opportu- 

 nities of remarking, siich fishes as wander to us from the 

 Mediterranean, are usually destitute of the brilliant tints which 

 adorn them in their native seas. 



The fin rays are difierently numbered by different writers; 

 but we give them as collected from Risso: Dorsal eleven 

 spinous and twelve soft; anal three spinous and eight soft; 

 ventral one spinous and five soft; pectoral foui'teen, caudal 

 eighteen. 



Front Teeth of Dentex. 



