4 PERCA FLAVESCENS. 



fourth, fifth, and sixth are longest. The second or posterior dorsal is shorter and 

 less elevated than the anterior ; it arises rather in front of the anus, and has two 

 spines, the anterior very short, and fifteen branched rays. The pectoral begins 

 nearly in a line vertical with the spine of the opercle, and extends to the root of 

 the ninth dorsal spine ; it is broad, rounded behind, and has fourteen rays. The 

 ventral arises near the anterior fourth of the pectoral, and extends one fourth of 

 its length behind it ; it has one long spine and five soft rays. The anal begins in 

 a line with the root of the sixth dorsal soft ray, and terminates with the dorsal 

 fin behind ; it has two spines and nine branched rays. The caudal fin is large, 

 sub-crescentic, with its horns broad and rounded ; it has seventeen rays, and is 

 covered with a few scales both above and below. The scales are small, very ad- 

 herent, unguiform, rounded and ciliated behind, serrated in front, and marked with 

 seven radiating lines. The lateral line begins near the supra-scapular, and runs 

 about the superior fourth of the body and concurrently with the dorsal outline as 

 far as the middle of the second dorsal fin, when it descends to the median plane, 

 and thus is continued ; its scale has the duct nearly in the middle. 



Colour. The back above is more or less dusky, and tinted with green ; the 

 sides are golden-yellow, and the belly white ; six or eight vertical dusky bars de- 

 scend from the back on the sides, but they disappear at the belly ; the membrane 

 of the anterior dorsal fin is transparent, more or less clouded, and has a dusky 

 spot near its posterior extremity ; the pectoral is transparent ; the rays of the 

 ventral are orange-colour, but the membrane is transparent ; the anal is orange. 



Dimensions. The length, from the opercle to the tip of the caudal fin, is equal 

 to three heads and a half; the greatest elevation without the dorsal fin, to one 

 head ; total length, twelve inches. 



Splanchnology. The peritoneum is thin and of a silvery colour. The stomach is very large, and 

 when distended with food it fills nearly the whole cavity of the abdomen ; its walls are thiti. The 

 pyloric branch is exceedingly small and short, though it has thick walls ; it departs from the stom- 

 ach near its middle. The small intestine is larger and more capacious than the pyloric branch of 

 the stomach ; it runs first towards the vent, is then reflected to the pylorus, whence it returns to 

 end in the rectum, wliich is long, slender, and has a very prominent valve ; there are three 



