196 CLASS XIV. 



Sub-genus Bryttus Cuv. Teeth in palate-bones few, in tongue 

 none. Prseoperculum entire. Operculum without membranous 

 auricle. Anal fin with three spines. (Habit of the preceding sub- 

 genus, from which it is distinguished artificially rather than in 

 reality). 



Sub-genus Centrarchus Cuv. Teeth in palate-bones and in tongue. 

 Prseoperculum entire. Spines of anal fin in most 5 — 7, more rarely 

 only three. 



Sp. Centrarchus sparoides Cuv., Lahrus sparoules Lac. Poiss. in. PI. 24, 

 fig. 2, Cuv. E. Ani., ed. ill., Poiss. PI. 10, fig. i ; with nine spinous rays in 

 the anal fin; — Centrarchus hexacanthm Cuv. et Val. Poiss. in. PI. 48, &c. 



Sillago Cuv. Head conical, with narrow mouth at the apex of 

 snout. Teeth very thin, small, crowded in jaws and vomer. Angle 

 of operculum produced into an acute spine. Branchiostegous mem- 

 brane with six rays. Two distinct dorsal fins, second long. Body 

 elongate. 



Sp. Sillago acuta Cuv., Scicena malaharica Bloch, Syst.Ichth. Tab. 19; called 

 Spiering {smelt) by the Dutch at Batavia ; — Sillago erythrcea Cuv., Guerin 

 Iconogr., Poiss. PI. 8, fig. i, &c. — Fishes from the Red Sea, the Indian and 

 South Pacific Seas, with somewhat of the habitus of Sphyrcena, but with 

 eyes moderate or small ; they deviate much from the preceding genera, in 

 whose neighbourhood they are placed solely from the agreement in number 

 of the rays of the branchial membrane. 



*^* Branchiostegous membrane with seven rays. 



A. Dorsal Jin single. 



a) Some conical (laoiiary) teeth, interposed with the rest, crowded, 

 thin. 



Serranus nob. Teeth small, thin, crowded in jaws, vomer and 

 palate-bones; larger incurved teeth in the anterior part of jaws and 

 at the sides of lower jaw. Prseoperculum denticulate. Dorsal fin 

 single, longitudinal. 



Mesoprion Cuv. (and Diacope ejusd.). Operculum with aj^ex flat, 

 obtuse, not aculeate. Prseoperculum often more or less excised 

 above the angle, for receiving the tubercle of interoperculum. 



Sp. Mesoprion octolineatus Bleekee, Diacope octolineata Cuv., Holocentrus 

 hengalensis Bloch, Ichth. Tab. ■246, fig. 2, Faun. Japon., Pise. Tab. vi. 

 fig. 2, from the Red Sea, the Indian and Pacific Oceans ; — Mesoprion unino- 

 tatus Cuv., Val. Poiss. 11. PI. 39, Brasil, St Domingo, &c. ; — Mesoprion aya 



