138 



MAILED PERISTEDION. 



Peristedion cataphracium, Lacepedh. 



PLATE XIIL 



Snows a powerfully defended fish, somewliat re- 

 sembling the sturgeons, yet belonging to the family 

 of the gumai-ds. It inhabits the Mediten-anean, 

 and is described as frequenting rocky coasts, and 

 swimming with gi-eat velocity ; and its strong ar- 

 mour may perhaps be intended as a defence against 

 the rough shores it may have to encounter during 

 storms, or its rapid progression. It is, moreover, 

 strongly armed with the spines on its head and 

 cheeks, and with the two prolongations of the 

 snout, which project forward, and sometimes are 

 broken by the force with v/hich they seem to be 

 used against some objects of the deep, 



The subject of the next Plate will also show an 

 extraordinary view of the distribution of the inte- 

 guments ; it is the 



