16 PERCID.E. 



rather more than half the depth. The belly is a little flattened, or even channelled 

 underneath, for the reception of the ventral fins. 



The front is low, descending very slightly and continuously from the origin of 

 the dorsal fin nearly to the extremity of the muzzle at the front of the eye, where 

 it at once falls suddenly and almost vertically. 



The head in length equals, or rather exceeds, the greatest depth of the fish. 

 Except the two opercular spines, it is entirely unarmed and plain. The whole is 

 covered with conspicuous scales, like those upon the body, except a smooth and 

 naked triangular space on each side of the very short and abrupt muzzle in front of 

 the eyes, comprehending the anterior ends of the suborbitaries, of which the hinder 

 halves under the eyes are scaled. The top of the head between the eyes is broad, 

 plain, convex, scaled down to the lip; the scales becoming gradually smaller. 

 The nostrils are two simple orifices, more than usually remote from one another ; 

 the hinder or upper one is situate high up, and nearly on a level with the top of 

 the eyes, within the scaly part, but close upon the orbit ; the anterior is placed 

 lower and considerably forwarder, upon the confines of the same ; it is small and 

 indistinct. The orbits are quite plain. The eye is large and very beautiful ; its 

 diameter equals, or a little exceeds, one third part of the length of the head. The 

 maxillaries are very slender or narrow, their exposed dilated ends being distinctly 

 scaled : the space between them and the eye, or the middle part of the suborbitaries, 

 also is extremely narrow ; the scales extending forwards on these last bones as far 

 as to their narrowest middle part, before the lower corner of each eye. 



Mouth or gape moderate, whitish or pale inside : when closed, its commissure 

 ascends obliquely ; somewhat as in Priacmitlnts. The upper jaw is very short, 

 abrupt, and truncate, with a wide notch in the middle ; reminding one strongly of 

 Beri/x, Poli/mixia, or Brama. The lower jaw is slender, and when open ap- 

 pears longer than the upper ; but fits when closed within it. A narrow band of 

 scales extends from the canthus of the jaw along its branches forwards to the tip. 

 Lips in both jaws distinct, smooth, naked. In the upper jaw, the smooth edge 

 of the muzzle forms a kind of secondary lip. 



The teeth are as in Authius. In the upper jaw the intermaxillaries are 

 furnished with a narrow band of chiefly minute brush-like teeth, of which the 

 outer ones are larger and recurved, with one or two still larger towards the front ; 

 and generally quite in front, one on each side the notch, there is a pair of more 

 distinct and larger conical canines, directed vertically downwards, and placed 

 outside the band, or, as it were, upon the outside of the gum or lip. Sometimes, 

 instead of one, there are two or three of these on either side the notch. The 

 vomer is but feebly armed with two or three pretty distinct teeth. The palatines 

 are also ill provided with a few teeth only, towards the front, and in a single 

 row. 



In the lower jaw the teeth are reduced almost to a single row at the sides, 

 becoming a narrow band only in front, with two or three larger, conical, but still 

 recurved ones, close together on each side near the tip ; and at the tip itself, 

 outside the others, just as in the upper jaw, there is a pair of straight and co- 

 nical canines pointing forwards, larger and more conspicuous than the rest. The 

 tongue is free, small, narrow, pointed, smootii, and white. No pores are visible 

 about the head. 



The cheeks and pre-opercles are covered entirely with scales. The hinder edge 

 of the latter is straight and nearly vertical ; the lower horizontal, with the angle 

 rounded. Both edges are completely hid and overwrapped by scales ; on the 

 removal of which they are found to be perfectly entire, plain, and smooth, with- 

 out trace of teeth or even of striae. The inter-opercle is broad, triangidar, scaled. 



