CH^TODONS. 105 



The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are of a beau- 

 tiful yellow, spotted witli blue ; tlie pectorals are 

 reddish ; the ventrals are pale blue, mottled with 



KINGFISHER SMARIS. 



reddish, and bordered with yellow. The Medi- 

 terranean coast of France is the locality frequent- 

 ed by this brilliant species, of whose distinctive 

 natural history nothing seems to be recorded. 



Family YIII. Ch.etodontid^. 



{ChcBtodons.) 



We arrive now at a Family of Spinous-finned 

 fishes, particularly interesting on account of the 

 peculiarities of form and of colour that commonly 

 distinguish them, but quite unknown to the cold 

 waters of our northern clime. Cuvier assigned 

 to the Family the appellation of Squamipennes, 

 which is sufficiently expressive of one of their 

 prominent characteristics ; the soft, and fre- 

 quently even the spinous parts of their dorsal and 

 anal fins, being fleshy, and covered with scales, 



