232 PISCES. 



weak fins, S. ophiodon, Cuv. ; Vana motta, Russel, 171, is em- 

 ployed in India, when dried and salted, as a condiment.(l) 



ScoPELUs, Cuv. Serpes, Risso.(2) 



Mouth and branchiae deeply cleft; both jaws furnished with very 

 small teeth; edge of the upper jaw wholly formed by the intermax- 

 illaries; tongue and palate smooth. The snout is very short and 

 obtuse; there are nine or ten rays in the branchiae, and besides the 

 ordinary dorsal, which is opposite to the interval between the ven- 

 trals and anal, there is a very small one behind, in which vestiges of 

 rays are perceptible. 



These fishes are taken in the Mediterranean along with An- 

 chovies, where they are called Melettes. One of them, Serpe 

 Humholt, Risso, pi. x, f. 38, is remarkable for the lustre of the 

 silvery points arranged along the tail and abdomen. (3) 



AuLopus, Cuv. (4) 



The characters of a Salmon and Gadus united; the mouth well 

 cleft; the intermaxillaries, which form the whole of its upper edge, 

 the palatines, the anterior extremity of the vomer and the lower jaw, 

 furnished with a narrow band of teeth resembling those of a card; 

 the tongue and level part of the ossapalati rough. The maxillaries 

 are large and edentated, as is the case with the greater number of 

 the class. The ventrals are almost under the pectorals, their external 

 rays being stout and only forked; the first dorsal opposite to the an- 

 terior half of the interval v/hich separates it from the anal; twelve 

 rays in the branchiae; body, cheeks and opercula covered with large 

 ciliated scales. 



One species, Salmo Jilamentosus, Bl., Berl. Schr., X, ix, 2, 

 is found in the Mediterranean. 



(1) The Salmo microps, Lesueur, Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad., V, part I, pi. iii, if not 

 the same species, is at least a closely allied one. It forms the genus HAKPODOjir of 

 that naturalist, who considers it as having- teeth in the vomer, but they are in the 

 pharyngeals, and not in the vomer: the mistake has arisen from the extreme 

 shortness of the snout. 



(2) 'XKOTTiKog, the Greek name of an unknown fish. 



(3) I believe this fish to be the same as the pretended Argentina sphyrcena of 

 Pennant, Brit. Zool., No. 156: thus it would also be found in our Ocean. Add the 

 Scrpe crocodile, Risso, p. 357; the Serpe balbo. Id., Ac. of Sc. Turin, Vol. XXV, 

 pi. X, f. 3. But the Serpe microstome, p. 356, certainly belongs to another genus, 

 and to the family of the Pikes. 



(4) AvKieTTog, the Greek name of some unknown fish. 



