15. DKNTEX. 'M7 



Sparus dcntex, L. Gm.^. 1278 ; £1 taf. 268 ; Bl. Schn. p. 271 ; Lacep. 



iv. p. 121 ; Risso, Ichth. Nice, p. 253 ; De la Ruche, Ann. Mus. xiii. 



p. 317. 

 Duhamel, Peches, ii. c. 2. p. 251. 

 Cichla dentex, Bl. Schn. p. 337. 

 Spams cetti, Risso, Ichth. Mice, p. 256. 

 Dentex cetti, Risso, Eur. 3Ierid. iii. p. 256. 

 vulgaris, Cuv. 8f Val. vi. p. 220. pi. 153; Flem.Brit. Anim. p. 212 ; 



Jen. Man. p. 357 ; Yarr. Brit. Fish. i. p. 127 ; Guichen. Explor. 



Alger. Poiss. p. 51 ; Wehb Sf Berthel. Isles Canar. Poiss. p. 30. 



B. 6. D. ~. A. |. L. lat. 60. L. transv. 7/lG. Case, pylor. 5. 

 Vert. 10/14. 



The height of the body is 3|- in the total length, the length of the 

 head 3| ; the diameter of the eye is 5^ in the latter, and 2^ in that 

 of the snout. The praeorbital is very large, its height being nearly 

 twice that of the eye. There are eight series of scales between the 

 praeorbital and the angle of the praeoperciilum, the limb of which is 

 also partly covered with small, iiTegiilar scales. In each of the jaws 

 four canine teeth, the outer pair of which is much stronger than the 

 inner one. The spines of the fins are rather slender and flexible ; the 

 foui'th of the dorsal is the longest, and 2| in the length of the head. 

 Caudalis forked. The third anal spine rather longer than the second, 

 and rather shorter than the first ray ; the posterior rays of the dorsal 

 and anal fins slightly elongate. Bluish silvery, -wdth some ii-regular 

 blackish dots on the back ; axil blackish. 



Mediterranean ; Canaiy Islands ; Coast of England (occasional). 



a. Adult: skeleton. Adriatic. Piu-chased of Mr. Frank. 



b. Fine specimen. Dalmatia. Piu-chased of Dr. Heckcl. 



c. Half-grown. Lisbon. Presented by W. Swainson, Esq. 



d. e. Young: stuffed: not good state. Lisbon. Presented by G. 



Hough, Esq. 



/. Adult. Madeira. Presented by the Rev. R. T. Lowe. 



g. Young : bad state. Old Collection. 



h. Adult : bad state. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



Skeleton. — The upper maxUlarj- bone is oblong, flat, with the pos- 

 terior inferior angle fomiing a prominence, to which the extremity 

 of the intermaxillaiy is joined ; the intermaxillar}- tapers little, is 

 rather broad at the base, and has the posterior processes nearly as 

 long as the descending branches, although they do not reach back- 

 wards to the vertical from the anterior mai-gin of the orbit. The 

 mandibulary is moderately elongate and elevated, and has a very 

 distinct muciferous channel Anth four elliptical oix'uings. The head 

 of the vomer is broad, slightly excavated and rounded anteriorly ; 

 the palatine bones have a nearly vertical situation. Tlie tm-binal 

 bones are veiy elongate, tubuHform ; the pnvorbital very largo, (jua- 

 di-angular ; there is a bony plate at the inner side of the infraorbital 

 ring. The lower limb of the prtcoperoulum is only one-half the length 

 of the posterior ; both meet at a leather obtuse angle, which, however. 

 is rounded ; long slits and openings lead into a channel along the 



