172 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



IV. FAMILY OF SEA-BREAM. SPARIDiE. 



Representatives in British Fauna. — Gen. 5. Sp. 7- 



Gen. 16. Chrysophrys. Sp. 35. C. auratus. . The Gilt-head. 



1 7. Pagrus. . . 36. P. vulgaris. . The Braise. 



18. Pagellus. . 37. P. erythrinus . Spanish Sear 



Bream. 



38. P. acarne. . The Axillary 



Bream. 



39. P. centrodontus. Common Sea- 



Bream. 



19. Dentax. . . 40. D. vulgaris . Fom'-toothed 



Sea-Bream. 



20. Cantharus. . i\. C. griseus. . Black Bream. 



The Family of the Sea-Bream have a general re- 

 fiemblance to the preceding. Among its members 

 the muzzle is but little projectile, and it is destitute 

 of teeth on the palate, and of all armour on the gill- 

 covers. This last circumstance, together with the 

 absence of any cavernous sinus in the cranium, dis- 

 tinguishes it from the Maigre family ; whilst the 

 absence of scales on tlie fins, separates it from the 

 succeeding ; and the large size of the scales distin- 

 guishes it from the next or Mackerel family. It is 

 known to contain about 150 species, the great ma- 

 jority of which, as of most of the other spinous-finned 

 families, belong to the southern seas. The European 

 waters contain about one-fifth part ; the British, as 

 stated above, not one -twentieth. The family is 

 divided into many genera, founded chiefly upon the 

 tnarked difi'erences which exist in their dental ap- 



