312 ACANTHOPT. PIPE-MOUTHED FAMILY. 



by whicli they are united. The rays of the second 

 dorsal are soft ; the pectoral is small, and the ven- 

 trals have a depression behind in which they can 

 be lodged. The colour of the back is red, that of 

 the sides being rather lighter ; the sides of the head 

 are of a silvery hue, tinged with a golden colour ; 

 the scales of the body are hard and rough, and the 

 surface granulated. All the fins are greyish white. 

 According to M. Risso, the Trumpet-fish prefers a 

 muddy bottom, in moderately deep water, and 

 spawns in spring. The young are seen near the 

 shore in autumn, shining with a brilliant silvery 

 lustre, not having as yet acquired the golden red 

 hue of the adult fish. They are not very numerous, 

 and do not wander far from the locality in which 

 they are bred. Their beak-like mouth is well 

 adapted for detaching minute animals from the va- 

 rious sorts of sea-weed ; and it is probable that, by 

 dilating their throat, they can draw up their food 

 along their cylindrical back, as water is drawn up 

 the pipe of a syringe. Their flesh is considered 

 good. 



Thus, after such elucidation as our space would 

 admit, have we brought to a close our account of 

 the different British species, which have been cata- 

 logued as belonging to the former subdivision of the 

 First Great Series of Osseus Fishes, — the Acan- 

 thopterygii^ or Spiny-finned Osseous Fishes. This 

 First Order is often stated, in general terms, to 



