152 PERCID.E. 



all round like a rim. The muzzle Is rather short, scarcely equalling the diameter 

 of the eyes in length ; somewhat pointed in profile, but flattened, broad, and obtuse, 

 when seen from above. It has nothing whatever of the peculiar physiognomy 

 of the Red Mullets: the lower jaw, which is sometimes a little longer than the 

 upper, is without any beard at the tip or symphysis. The nostrils are two simple 

 orifices in the usual place ; the anterior smaller one being halfway from the 

 eyes to the tip of the muzzle, and the hinder one close to the orbit. The 

 mouth, or at, least the gape, is large; the latter reaching back beneath the eyes, 

 with the maxillary long, distinct, and broad at the ends, but altogether plain 

 and naked. The teeth are fine and velutine, set in a narrow band round both 

 the jaws and on the palatines, and ,in a horseshoe patch upon the vomer. 

 The tongue is smooth, and its tip free or distinct. 



Preopercle somewhat rounded or not at all angular below ; its Ijorder naked, 

 broad, lamellar, very thin and pellucid, finely striate, and irregularly dentate at 

 the edge, running parallel to and some distance within which is a thick raised 

 bony rim or inner more entire margin.* Opercle rather broad, unarmed or 

 without any spine, but with the angle just above the pectoral fins distinct, 

 and firm or laony : its margin rounded, thin and membranous. The humeral bone 

 is indistinctly visible as usual in the axil of the pectoral fins, but forms no spine. 

 The superscapulary is a distinct bony parabolic scale or plate, with a longi- 

 tudinal ridge or keel, at the junction of the opercle with the body, or origin 

 of the lateral line, high up the shoulder. 



The pectoral fins are large, broad, and oblong; obtuse at the tips, which 

 reach to the origin of the anal fin. They are placed about one third of its 

 height up the side. Their first ray is short : the second long and barred, but 

 generally unbranched. 



The ventral fins are placed close together on the belly, beneath or a little before 

 the pectoral, and are large, equilateral, and triangular, with the spine strong, 

 compressed, and sharp at its fore-edge. The other rays are very strong and 

 very copiously branched, and the last is partly webbed to the body. They 

 have no scaly appendage at their fore-axil ; but a large distinct one on the 

 ventral line between their base. 



The first dorsal fin begins at the commencement of the back, at one third of the 

 whole length of the fish, and over the fore-axil of the pectoral or ventral fins. It 

 is short and subtriangular, and as high as long ; its height or length being con- 

 tained twice and a half in the depth of the body beneath it. The first ray is 

 short ; the second and third are strong, the longest of all, and equal to each other 

 in length and strength : the remaining three are weaker and gradually shorter; 

 and the last is webbed behind to the back. 



The second dorsal fin begins where the body first contracts in depth, and is 

 separated from the first dorsal by an interval of two or three scales' breadth. It is 

 short and triangular, but considerably higher in front, and rather longer than the 

 first dorsal. Its height equals the depth of the body beneath it. The first ray or 

 spine is strong, and half the length of the two or three following branched rays, 

 which are the longest of all : the last of these is free behind. 



The anal fin corresponds in size, shape, and position, with the second dorsal ; 

 but is neither, perhaps, quite so high, nor so pointed or angular. Its first spine is 

 very short : the two first branched rays are the longest, and are twice the length 

 of the second spine ; the last ray is free. The base of the second dorsal and of the 

 anal fin is tumid, raised, and fleshy, forming a sort of ridge. 



Caudal fin large and deep, but short, and rather emarginate than lobed, or 



* Or, as MM. Cuvier and Valencicmies express it, " line crcte saillaute, qui forme iin double 

 rebord en uvant du bord ordinaire." 



