WRASSES. 187 



preceding. They are distinguished, however, by- 

 having teeth resembling those of a card, except 

 a range of conical ones in front. The operculum 

 is scaled, the pre-operculum smooth. The pec- 

 torals and the ventrals are greatly developed ; the 

 former generally, the latter invariably, long and 

 pointed, and sometimes produced into threads : 

 the dorsal also sends forth thread-like filaments. 

 About eighty species constitute this sub-family, 

 which are almost exclusively natives of India. 

 There is, however, a small species in the Medi- 

 terranean, and one {Chromis Niloticus, Cuv.), 

 which, contrary to the habits of the family, is 

 fluviatile, and reckoned the best fish in the Nile. 



3. Scarina, The jsiws, {interDiaxillaries -dnd pre- 

 mandihles) are convex, rounded, and furnished 

 with scale-like teeth on their margin and anterior 

 surface. The jaws themselves resemble great 

 teeth, and actually perform the office of teeth, 

 being very thick and sharpened at the edges. 

 These rounded bones are divided in the middle 

 by a narrow line, and move vertically, indepen- 

 dently of each other, as we have noticed in the 

 living fish. They are nearly covered with fleshy 

 lips, but there are no sub-orbital lips, as in the 

 Lahrina, The head and crown are usually ele- 

 vated, the profile abrupt, sometimes vertical. 

 The body is oblong, covered with coarse, horny 

 scales, which are generally much larger on the 

 tail than elsewhere. The caudal is for, the most 

 part crescent- shaped ; the lateral line is inter- 

 rupted. About one hundred and twenty species 

 belong to this sub-family ; scarcely any of which 

 are found beyond the tropics. They are known 

 as Parrot-fishes, chiefly on account of their rounded 



