242 SHORT SEA BREAM. 



and in the cheeks for the most part repcmbling the Common 

 Sea Bream ; but slightly differing in the markings of the head. 

 The body thick and plump; scales on the cheeks and body 

 large; those on the hinder part of the body, especially above 

 the lateral line, having well-marked festooned edges; those of 

 the anterior part less regularly so. Lateral line at first mounting, 

 arched, sinking opposite the ending of the dorsal and anal fins, 

 waved in its course, and mounting again as it approaches the 

 caudal fin : at its origin a large black spot. Pectoral fin very 

 long, reaching to within a short distance of the termination of 

 the anal fin ; being in length four inches and three fourths, and 

 passing two inches beyond the vent. Commencement of the 

 dorsal fin just above the origin of the rays of the pectoral. 

 Tail concave. The colour was much as in the Common Sea 

 Bream, but more vivid; top of the head rich brown, the back 

 scarlet, lighter on the sides; belly white, with slight mottlings. 

 Dorsal, pectoral, and caudal fins, and the inside of the mouth, 

 vermilion; ventral and anal fins paler. 



Compared with the Common Sea Bream, laid by its side, 

 besides the remarkable difference of the dimensions, it was 

 distinguished by a wider gape; by the teeth, although alike in 

 arrangement and structure, less thickly placed, especially the 

 incisors; by a less rounded muzzle, a much larger eye, and 

 longer pectoral fins; which being more arched, are differently 

 shaped. In a Common Bream of the same length these fins 

 measured three inches and three fourths. The scales also were 

 more decidedly waved at their edge. In the stomach I found 

 a Comatula and the bait with which it was taken, Avhich was 

 a slice of fish; but in the lower intestine were pieces of brown 

 sea-weeds covered with Flustrce, (encrusting corals,) still 

 continuing undigested. 



Fin rays — pectoral fifteen, dorsal twelve and twelve, ventral 

 one and five, anal three and thirteen, caudal about twenty. 



Scales of the Slioit Sea Bream. 



