FISHES. 21 



the United States.* Where coral reefs shelve into 

 basins and creeks of less depth than one hundred 

 fathoms, Acanthopterygians of the Sparoid, Percoid, 

 Scienoid, and Labroid families are detected, and 

 further out in depths exceeding the above, the large 

 eyed species of Priacanthus, Chatoessus, Pomato- 

 mus, Etehs, Cheilodipterus, &;c., keep mostly far 

 belov^ the surface ; as indeed the inferior powers of fin 

 and enlarged organs of vision, sufficiently testify. 

 Above them, Prionotes, Pirabebes and Pteroids, 

 escape from their enemies by darting above the 

 surface in the same manner as flying fish, but with 

 flights of less dimension and in different curves. 

 To the naturalist who is inured to a tropical sun and 

 the glaring effect reflected from the placid sea, it is 

 a spectacle not a little interesting, to stand motion- 

 less at the extremity of the far projecting ledge of a 

 reef, where the dull swell makes but slight heavings> 

 at his feet, and observe the vivid flashes of light and 

 brilliant colors every, now and then reflected from the 

 bright waters, where the sun shines in upon the 

 stony harbours and pinnacles of the coral animals 

 below the surface, and gaudy Vrack fish and Serrani 

 dart about in various directions, or hang motionless 

 in mid water, reflecting their exact shadows on the 

 whitened surface beneath them. To see nearer to the 

 eye, and almost on the surface, small scintillating 

 specks protruded in all directions from the pores 

 of the corals, shewing the minute inhabitants in all 

 the glory of their irridescent hues ; but if his foot 

 move or his own shadow indicate but in the slightest 

 degree a change of posture, to find that all have 

 vanished ; still small crabs and other Crustacea may 

 scamper around him ; and then the dark form of a 

 large fish, perhaps a Sphyraena Barracoota or a 

 Scorpena can be traced below, where thewaters pass 

 from their bright sea green tint into deepened blue. 

 Next he sees a shoal or several shoals of fry at the 



* Such are Balistes Americanus, B., Scaber, B., Ringens, &c. 



