RAY'S BREAM. 209 



flesh is white, solid, and sweet, having much the taste of 

 boiled lobster. 



This fish is considered full grown when fifteen inches 

 long, at which time the origin of the lateral line is fur- 

 nished with a large black spot nearly an inch in length- 

 When the fish is young this spot is not perceptible. The 

 characters in which it differs from its congeners were no- 

 ticed when treating of the two preceding species. 



Family V. SQUAMIPINNATI.— Dorsal and anal 

 fins, or at least their soft portions, closely covered with 

 scales. 



Genus BRAMA. — Roth jaws, as well as the palatine 

 bones, with fine teeth. 



Brama Rail* — Ray's Bream. 



Specific Character. — Base of the dorsal and anal fins, long. 



Description. — From a specimen eighteen inches in length. Body 

 of an oval form, deep in the region of the pectorals, tapering gradu- 

 ally to-vyards the caudal extremity; snout obtuse; dorsal line round- 

 ed, descending obliquely from the fin to the forehead, from thence 

 suddenly to the upper lip. Sides compressed, covered with large 

 strong scales ; in front of the eyes and on the posterior part of the 

 preoperculum without scales ; colour of the back and sides silvery- 

 grey, between and in front of the eyes reddish-brown ; dorsal and 

 caudal fins brownish ; ventral and anal fin paler, tinged with light 

 yellow ; lower parts of the sides and belly dull silvery ; operculum 

 and preoperculum entire, without spines or denticulations. Eyes 

 large, placed nearer the nose than to the origin of the lateral line ; 

 dorsal fin commencing over the base of the pectorals, and ending 

 over the last ray of the anal ; the fourth ray the longest, rapidly de- 

 creasing in height to the ninth, the remainder of equal length ; anal 

 fin similar in form to the dorsal, commencing under the sixth ray ; 

 caudal fin lunate, each extremity greatly produced ; ventral fins 



• Brama Rait, Cuv., Yar., .Ten. ; Sparus Rail, Bloch; Toothed Gilthcad^ 

 Pen. 



VOL. VII. O 



