58 ACANTHOPTERYGII. PERCAD^. 



more or less deep in the outline. They have for 

 the most part a larger acute tooth on each side of 

 the mouth, resembling the canines of Mammalia. 

 Their colours are generally beautiful, and fre- 

 quently arranged in bands and spots, extending 

 upon the fin-membranes. They are all marine, 

 and nearly all tropical, but some are found in the 

 Mediterranean, and two species have been met 

 v^ith on the coast of Cornwall. 



The third Sub-family, named Holocentrina^ or 

 the Mailed Perches, are still more beautiful than 

 the preceding. They are usually of small size, 

 but of great brilliancy of colouring, the prevailing 

 hues being various shades of red, ranging from 

 the richest crimson to a gorgeous orange or 

 golden hue. They are all clothed with bony, 

 generally toothed, scales, which in some of the 

 genera form a close impenetrable coat of mail. 

 Not a single British example of this group is 

 known, they being almost confined to the tropical 

 seas. 



In the Jugular Perches {Percopliina) the ven- 

 trals are placed beneath the throat, considerably 

 in advance of the line of the pectorals. The 

 head is pointed, and the lips generally thickened, 

 as in the Wrasses {Lahrid(s) ; the body is re- 

 markably lengthened. To this group belong 

 some common British Fishes known as Weevers 

 (Tracliinus, Linn.), remarkable for the enormous 

 length of the second dorsal and the anal, and 

 for the formidable spines with which they are 

 armed. These spines are the rays of the first dorsal, 

 which are very vsharp and strong, and a long 

 lance-like spine on the gill-fiap ; wounds inflicted 

 with which are believed to be poisoned. Whether 



