ICHTHYOLOGY. 



Classifica- <^^'^'' > ipper lobe of the caudal shorter than the other ; air-bladder 



tion — Pha- '"''S'^. closed. Thirty-three species. Some have barbels, and have 



rynf^o- been made the types of separate genera, 

 gnaths. 



CHROMIDID^E. 



This family is included by Mliller among the Pharyngo- 

 gnatlis with spinous rays in tiie fins. It is not treated ofin 

 the Histoii-e drs Poissoiis, and tlie generic cliaracters in tlie 

 table are from Cuvier's Hegite Animal, or from Riippell's 

 works. The members of this group agree with the Ctenoid 

 Labroids in having only one nostril to each nasal sac. 



Sob-Order It.— ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Family I.— CIIROMIDID^, Bonap. 



Chromides, Mull. Lateral line interrupted. Teeth villiform. 

 One dorsal. A single nostiil to each pituitary sac. 



Genus I. Chuomis, Cuv. General aspect of Lalrus, with their 

 lips, protractile preniaxillaries, pharyngeal bones, and the filaments 

 of tlieir dorsal rays ; but the entire caudal and the soft dorsal and 

 anal to a considerable height are scaly. Their teeth are disposed 

 in two card-lilie bands on the jaws and pharynx, with, in front, a 

 row of conical teeth. Branchiostegals six. Lateral line ceasing 

 under the dorsal, and not recommencing on a lower level. Stomach 

 ca;cal ; two pancreatic ca-ca. The Jiolti of the Nile has no pan- 

 creatic cajcuin, but its stomach is cascal. Its dentition is that of 

 the Mediterranean species. 



Gknus II. C'YCHLA, Bloch, Schneid. Have the body more elon- 

 gated than Chromis, and their teeth in a broad band, and wholly 

 villiform. 



Genus Iir. Sarotherodon, Rupp. General habit of Chromis. 

 Both jaws armed with an outer row of slender chisel-shaped teeth, 

 smaller at their insertion, wider at their edges, behind which a 

 band of brush-like teeth. Palatines and tongue unarmed; at the 

 pharynx fine brush-like teeth, on a single three-cornered plate be- 

 low, and two roundish transverse plates above. B'our gills. Oper- 

 cula without scales ; pretty large scales on the body. Lateral line 

 interrupted. A dorsal fin extending along the whole back, two- 

 thirds of it supported by spines; three spines in the anal; ventrals 

 behind the pectorals. Guinea coast. 



CTEXO-LABRID^. 



A small but very natural family separated from the 

 Sci(BHid(E by their imited pharyngeals, and the want of 

 niuciferous cellular structure of the bones of the skull. They 

 are denominated in the Histoire des Poissons " Scifenoides 

 a moins de sept rayons branchiaux et a ligne laterale 

 interrompue ;" and are there said to be beyond the bounds 

 of the Linnaean genus Scicena, and to have analof/ies 

 with the Labroids, They are small fishes, of a pecil'liar 

 roimded oval form, and clothed with large scales, a well- 

 marked family likeness pervading the several genera. Their 

 strongly ciliated .scales separate them liom the true La- 

 broids, whose scales are cycloid. They are edible, but they 

 do not form the objects of special fisheries, not only from 

 their want of size, but because they do not assemble toge- 

 ther in mmibers. 'J"he Glyphisodons and others of The 

 family are prettily banded, and show a pleasing combination 

 and variety of colours. 



Family U.— CTENO-LABRIDjE, MuU. 



Compressed oval or oblong fishes, with the head forming part of 

 the general elliptic profile. One dorsal spinous in front; anal 

 also spinous in front, |daced with the dorsal on the posterior curve 

 of the oval. Tail between the vertical fins short, moderately 

 high. Scales ctenoid. Air-bladder closed, without appendages 

 Ovarium closed, with an excretory duct behind the anus. L'ranium 

 not cavernous in its outer walls. A single nostril to each pituitary 



Gends I. Caprodon, Schleg. Teeth card-like on both jaws, 

 before which a row of bigger ones ; the three fore teeth of the pre- 

 maxillary on each side being large cutting teeth ; front mandibular 

 tooth very large, and pointing backwards ; behind it one somewhat 

 smaller ; in the middle of the limb of the mandible there stands a 



VOL. XII. 



large tooth arched backwards, and then follow some more card- 

 like teeth. Branchiostegals, five. 



Genus II. Ampiupuion, Schneid. Body oval, compressed, 

 A single dorsal. Lateral line terminating under the end of the 

 dorsal. Head obtuse ; uniserial, small, conical, obtuse teeth on the 

 jaws ; palate edentate. Five branchiostegals. Preoperculum, oper- 

 culum, suboperculum, and interoperculum denticulated strongly, and 

 striated on their surfaces. Air-bladder simple. Sixteen species. 



Genus III. Premnas, Cuv. Form that of an Amphiprion, with 

 interrupted lateral line, and obtuse uniserial teeth, but the oper- 

 cular pieces are less strongly toothed, and the suborbitar scale- 

 bones much more armed, producing under the eye one or two large 

 spines pointing backwards. A few denticulations exist on the as- 

 cending edge of the preoperculum, and on the border of the sub- 

 operculum ; but the opercular pieces are not strongly streaked on 

 the surface, as in Amphiprion. Stomach globular, small ; three 

 pancreatic ca;ca ; large globular air-bladder. Three species. 



Genus IV. Pomacentkus, Lacep. Form oblong. Head obtuse; 

 incisorial uniserial teeth. Preoperculum denticulated ; operculum 

 entire on the border, and without spines; suborbitars often toothed. 

 Lateral line ending under the soft portion of the single dorsal; 

 four or five branchiostegals. Twenty species. 



Genus V. Dascyllus, Cuv. Resembling Pomacunerus, but the 

 teeth, instead of being trenchant, are in a villiform band, with 

 stronger conical ones in the outer row. Three species. 



Genus VI. Glyphisodon, Lacep. Having a strong resemblance 

 to Pomacentrus, but the preoperculum is not denticulated. Body 

 compressed, oval, covered as well as the head with large scales. 

 Profile rounded. Mouth small ; teeth on the jaws only, uniserial, 

 close together, narrow and straight, trenchant at the crown, and 

 often notched. Lateral line ending under the end of the dorsal. 

 For the most part thirteen dorsal spines (rarely twelve), each with 

 a membranous filament at its tip ; two anal spines (rarely three). 

 Stomach very large, cffical ; three thick pancreatic ca!ca ; ovaries 

 discharging by a tube behind the anus. Thirty species. 



Genus VII. Etkoplus, Valenc. Oval compressed form of Gly- 

 phisodon. Eye more elevated than in that genus, and the suborbi- 

 tar scale-bone large and not scaly. Snout also destitute of scales. 

 Dorsal (seventeen or eighteen) and anal spines numerous (eleven to 

 thirteen). Three species. 



Genus VIII. Heliases, Cuv. Resembling ff/ypAisodon in the 

 oval compressed body. Small mouth. Entire or smooth-edged pre- 

 operculum. Large scales and short lateral line, and in the number 

 of spines in the dorsal and anal, but having the teeth of Das- 

 cyllus. Branchiostegals five, rarely six. 



265 



Classifica- 

 tion — Pha- 

 ryngo- 

 gnaths. 



CYCLO-LABROIDS. 



The name Lahrus applied to a fish is cited by Pliny as 

 occurring in a passage of Ovid which has not been pre- 



served, and the kind of fish it was used to designate cannot, 

 now be ascertained. The name was widely and vaguely 

 applied by modern ichthyologists until Cuvier gave the 

 precise characters of the genus which it now distinguishes. 

 Several species occur in the British seas ; none of them 

 prized as an article of diet. The Tautog {Tautoga 7iigra) 

 of New York, however, is a fish in great request for the 

 table, and sells at the rate of 8 lb, for a dollar. It is tena- 

 cious of life, and is kept in stews to fatten. In great 

 colds it becomes torpid, and will not eat. When the dog- 

 wood (Cornus Jlorida) comes into flower the Black Tautog 

 is in season. 



The Epibulus seizes insects by suddenly thrusting out 

 its mouth, and engulphing those that come within the scope 

 of the elongated tube ; at least so says Renard ; and the 



2l 



