94 ACANTHOPTERYGII. — SPARID^. 



a gift ; the fact of payment having been made for 

 them, would, it was pretended, deprive them of 

 all their value. It is to be regretted that super- 

 stitions, equally groundless with this, are still 

 common in this enlightened age, and in our own 

 country ; diseases being considered removable by 

 the wearing of certain amulets or charms. 



The Maigre, as a British fish, is a great rarity ; 

 the Mediterranean, especially its northern shore, 

 is its chief resort. In its habits it is somewhat 

 migratory ; swimming in small shoals, which shift 

 their quarters from one part of the coast to 

 another, seldom remaining long in a place. The 

 air-bladder is long, and tapers to a point behind ; 

 the free edge of the membrane, being cut into 

 irregular fringes all along each side, gives it a sin- 

 gular appearance. 



Family VI. Sparid^. 



(Sea-brea7ns.) 



In form these fishes somewhat resemble those 

 of the preceding Family, presenting a high, 

 rather oval, vertical outline, of greater depth than 

 thickness. They have but one dorsal, which is 

 never clothed with scales in any degree : the 

 operculum is not spinous, nor is the pre-oper- 

 culum notched : the muzzle is not thickened, 

 nor are the bones of the skull cavernous ; the 

 mouth is not protrusile. In addition to these 

 negative distinctions, it may be added that the 

 jaws are furnished with round fiat grinding teeth, 

 arranged like the stones of a pavement, and often 

 with strong pointed canines in front ; the pectoral 



