LAGODON RHOJIBOIDES. 57 



Synonymes. Sparus rhomboides, Lhi., Syst. Nat., torn. i. p. 427. 



Salt-water Bream, Schoepff, Schrift. der Gesells. Nat. Freund., b. viii. p. 151. 



Sparus rhomboides, Shaw, Gen. ZooL, vol. iv. p. 447. 



Sargus rhomboides, Cuv. et Vol., Hist. Nat. Poiss., torn. vi. p. 68, pi. 143. 



Sargus rhomboides, DeKay, Zool. N. Y., part iv. p. 93, pi. 71, fig. 228. 



Sargus rhomboides, Slorer, Synops., p. 81. 



Salt-water Bream, Vulgo. 



Description. This fish is of a semi-oval form, and compressed. Tlie head is 

 small, and uncovered with scales in front of the posterior part of the orbits. The 

 eyes are large, and rather nearer the snout than the angle of the opercle, their 

 lower margin corresponding with the median plane of the head. The posterior 

 and larger nostril is an elliptical opening, directed downward and forward to about 

 the middle plane of the eye ; the anterior is round, and both are on a line within 

 the orbit. 



The mouth is small, and does not reach half the distance between the snout and 

 orbit ; the lips are thin ; the upper jaw is the longer, and the lower is so received 

 within it as to leave the teeth of the upper exposed. Both jaws are armed with 

 eight incisor teeth, notched at their cutting margins ; behind these are two rows 

 of sub-conical molar teeth, rounded at their apices, so as to resemble paving-stones ; 

 scattered between these rows are very small teeth of similar form, which are col- 

 lected in a group at the symphysis just within the incisors. The pharyngeal bones 

 have numerous teeth, conical, pointed, and recurved. 



The pre-opercle is round at its angle ; the ascending border is not serrated, but 

 has numerous longitudinal depressions, which give a beautiful, though minute, 

 plaited appearance to the skin that covers it ; it is without scales behind, but near 

 its anterior margin are four or five series of large scales, that cover the cheeks, 

 leaving only a small smooth space below the eye. The opercle is narrow in the 

 antero-posterior direction, and terminates in an obtuse angle behind, above which 

 it is slightly emarginate ; it is covered with scales, as is also the inter-opercle, 

 which is very broad. The supra-scapular scale is large, round behind, with radiat- 

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