MENDOLES. 103 



proverb of vileness, and has passed into the vo- 

 cabulary of insult. A West Indian species of 

 Gerres is remarkable for the rapidity with which 

 it decomposes, the flesh becoming soft almost 

 immediately after it is dead. Another species of 

 this genus, however {Gerres rJiombeus, Cuv.) is 

 esteemed one of the best fishes in Jamaica, where 

 it goes by the name of Stone Basse. This little 

 fish is reported by Mr. Couch to visit the coast of 

 Cornwall, arriving there in considerable numbers, 

 accompanying pieces of floating timber covered 

 with Barnacles. Hence it is probable that these 

 shelled Cirripedes form the favourite food of the 

 Gerres, though M. Cuvier says that he has never 

 found in its stomach anything but the remains of 

 very minute fishes. The species of the genus 

 Smaris, which we shall select to illustrate the 

 Family, are sufiiciently esteemed to be the sub- 

 jects of fisheries of some importance, on the 

 European coasts of the Mediterranean. 



Genus Smaris (Cuv.). 



The general form is that of a Herring, but 

 rather more lengthened in proportion to the 

 breadth. The mouth is very protrusile ; the jaws 

 are furnished with fine slender teeth, but the 

 vomer is toothless. The fins are destitute of 

 scales, except some on the sides of the ventrals ; 

 the scales between the ventrals are eloiigated. 



The fishes are called Picarels by the French, 

 but on the coasts and among the isles of Greece 

 they retain their ancient name, slightly modified, 

 marida being only a corruption of ^/xaph, the 

 term by which these little fishes were designated 



