contained in Couch's " Fishes of Cornisoall." 21 



oiF; hence it is found long after death in a state of rigidity 

 and contortion, with the fins preternaturally erect. 



Dusky Perch (Pe'rca L. robu'sta C). 



The fish [Jig, 7.) from which my description was taken weighed 

 sixteen pounds, and measured 3 ft. in length, and 7 in. in 



depth, exclusive of the fins, the body thick and solid. Under 

 jaw longest, both, as well as the palate, having numerous 

 slender incurved teeth ; in front of the under jaw was a bed 

 of them. Lips like those of the codfish, two large open nasal 

 orifices, and a large hole under the projection of the nasal 

 bone. First plate of the gill covers serrate, the second with 

 a broad flat spine projecting through the skin, and pointing 

 backward ; the fleshy covering of the gill covers elongated 

 posteriorly ; seven rays in the gill membrane. Body and head 

 covered with large scales, lateral line gently curved. Dorsal 

 fin single, long, expanding towards its termination, with eleven 

 spinous rays, the first short, and seventeen soft rays, the two 

 last from one origin. Pectoral fin round, nineteen rays ; ven- 

 trals fastened down by a membrane through part of their course, 

 six rays. Vent an inch and a half from the origin of the anal 

 fin, which fin has two spinous and nine soft rays, the last two 

 from one origin. Tail roundish, sixteen rays. Colour of the 

 back reddish brown, lighter on the belly; two slightly marked 

 lines on the gill covers running obliquely downward, one on 

 each plate. The gill covers are not ridged. In its aspect 

 this fish has some resemblance to the jLabri, yet it has none 

 of the generic characters by which these fishes are distin- 

 guished. That it should be placed among the perches I 

 make no question ; but my most industrious search has not 

 been able to find that it has been either figured or described : 

 until, therefore, some other naturalist shall be more fortunate, 

 I venture to denominate it P, robusta, from its great size and 

 strength. I have never seen more than one specimen, which 

 was taken with a line. 



c 3 



