96 ACANTHOPTERYGII. — SPARID^. 



nation variations of structure, each possessed by 

 a certain number of genera in common, by the 

 selection of which such sub-division may be ef- 

 fected. In treating of the PercadcB, we briefly 

 enumerated the subordinate groups into which 

 that immense Family is divided; we will now 

 indicate those into which Cuvier has distributed 

 the Sparidce. 



1. The Sparina have the jaws set with round 

 flat teeth like paving-stones. Eighty species 

 belong to this group, of which sixteen are Euro- 

 pean, and five are British. 



2. The Denficina have all the teeth conical 

 and pointed, and the front ones hooked. This 

 is the most important division, as regards num- 

 ber, though not the most typical ; as it includes 

 one hundred and twenty species, mostly tropical. 

 Four only of these are European, of which one is 

 marked as British, the Four-toothed Sparus, or 

 Toothed Gilthead {Dentex vulgaris, Cuv.) It must, 

 however, be reckoned among the very rarest of 

 native animals, its claim to be so regarded rest- 

 ing on the authority of a single specimen. It for- 

 tunately happened that this rarity fell into the 

 hands of Mr. Donovan, from whose " History of 

 British Fishes," we extract the following interest- 

 ing note of its powers, habits, and uses. 



" A more voracious fish is scarcely known ; and 

 when we consider its ferocious inclination, and 

 the strength of its formidable canine teeth, we 

 must be fully sensible of the great ability it 

 possesses in attacking other fishes, even of su- 

 perior size, with advantage. It is asserted, that 

 when taken in the fishermen's nets, it will seize 

 upon the other fishes taken with it, and mangle 



