74 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHE-S. 



they are apparently set in Uvo rows, an outer one, which 

 ends half-way along the jaw, and an inner one with 

 larger teeth, especially in front, -which extends along its 

 whole length, l)iit between these rows, in the front part 

 of the mandible, there are several teeth of similar form 

 Ijut in no regular arrangement. In the upper jaw, on 

 the intermaxillary bones, the teeth are similarly arranged 

 in an inner and an outer roAv with several teeth between 

 them, but posteriorly both rows converge and at last 

 join into one, single row. There are no teeth on the 

 palatine bones, the vomer or the tongue. 



As in the rest of the Bramidce and as we have 

 already seen in Ben/.r, the dorsal parts of the large 

 lateral muscles originate as far forward as the forehead 

 just above the middle of the orbits. In front of this 

 point tlie forehead and snout are convex, with a de- 

 pres.sion along the middle and with the skin pierced 

 1)\' a nundter of ])ores like those we have above de- 



Fig. 22. Young of Pteryconihns brama from the middle of 

 tlie Atlantic. Twice the natural size. After Lutkex. 



scribed in the Sparidcc. The anterior nostrils are oval 

 and situated almost half-way between the point of the 

 upjier jaAv and the anterior orbital margin, the posterior 

 appear like slits and are situated loAver than the anterior, 

 about half-way between them and the orbital margin". 



\\\ aihdt specimens the operculum and the other 

 lioiics belonging to the apparatus of the gill-cover are 

 completely destitute of arniour; but during youth the 

 margin of the preoperrulum is dentated in tlie maimer 

 shoAvn in LCtken's iigure, wiiich we reproduce here 

 (fig. l'l*) and which is presumably that of a young 

 specimen (if this species. In the dried specimen the 

 hind margin of the operculum is somewhat undulating, 

 \\\\\\ i)ne of tlu! pi-ojections longer than the others. 

 Tlie gill-apertui'c is complete and open as far down as 

 the point of the istlniuis. 



The head is entirely covered with scales, with tiie 

 (exceptions mentioned above, namely the smmt, the inter- | 



" This is true of (ho siiccinK-n belonging to the Hoyal Muscnm. 

 the poslcrinr nc.strils, too, ari^ n.inid. This diil'erence may iierlmps depi 



maxillaries, the lower margin of the preoperculum, and 

 the lower jaw, along which we find raised bars as in 

 the Berycklce. 



The most special characters of this fish are the 

 peculiar formation of the scales and the groove in which 

 the dorsal and anal fins are set. The body is covered 

 with large, imbricate, very thin and l)road (high) scales, 

 which form regular longitudinal rows. The free part 

 of each scale is almo.st square (see fig. 20, p. 71): the 

 inner or basal margin is straight and furnished at the 

 middle with a small, raised knob, which towards the 

 tail gradually develops into a short, stiff spine, while 

 the outer or hind margin is rounded or bilobate, with 

 the lobes separated by a small incision which receives 

 the spine of the scale behind. These spines are nothing 

 more than convexities of the scales themselves. The 

 lateral line, which is not distinguished by the form of 

 its scales from the other rows of large (high) scales, 

 contains from 49 to 51 scales, the anterior without 

 distinct spines. The canal of the lateral line pierces 

 the inner (covered) part of each scale (fig. 20, h) 

 about half-way up, and just behind the spine or the 

 corresponding knob sends out a small, opening duct 

 on the outside of the scale in an oblique, upward di- 

 rection: on the inside of the scale the canal is con- 

 tinued in a tubular form as far as the scale is attached 

 to the skin, Avhere it ends, to be continued at the an- 

 terior margin of the scale next behind. The lateral 

 line occupies the third I'ow of high scales incised at 

 tlie hind margin, and between these rows and the dor- 

 sal fin-covers there are anteriorly 5 ro^vs of smaller, 

 rounded or obliquely-incised scales. These rows be- 

 come fewer and fewer posterioi'ly till at last, at the 

 end of the dorsal fin, only one remains. Below the 

 lateral line there are 8 rows of high, posteriorly-incised 

 scales and 4 rows of smaller, posteriorly-rounded ones, 

 counted to the ventral margin of the body just in front 

 of the anal fin. Thus from the beginning of the dorsal 

 fin down to that of tiie anal we count 20 roMS of 

 scales in all, excluding the fin-covers. Most remarkable 

 of all, however, are the latter, which on each side 

 of the body rise along the dorsal edge and sink at the 

 posterior ventral and the caudal margins of the body, 

 like distinct walls surrounding the bases of the dorsal 

 and anal fins and forming deep grooves in which each 

 of these fins may freely rise and sink or even be hidden 



In tlic s])ccimen borrowed from Upsala MuscMm, which is also dried, 

 ■nd on the difference in the manners of drying. 



