183 



Y. THE SCALY-FINNED FAMILY. 

 SQUAMIPENN^. 



Representative in British Fauna. 



Gen. 21. Brama. Sp. 42. B. Bait, Ray's Bream. 



The Scaly-finned Family is readily distinguished 

 from others by the soft, and frequently the spinous 

 portions, of the dorsal and anal fins, being covered 

 with scales, so that they are not easily distinguished 

 from the other parts of the body. It is a large one, 

 containing about 150 species, most of which, how- 

 ever, frequent the Indian and Polynesian Seas. It 

 is subdivided into three groups; the first having 

 hair-like teeth, the second cutting-teeth, and the 

 third having them either close set, or card-like. 

 It is conspicious for the extreme splendour of the 

 colouring of its members. If the feathered tribes 

 of the equatorial regions are bedecked with the 

 most brilliant and gorgeous hues, the neighbouring 

 oceans contain myriads of the finny race, which in 

 this respect excel them. Upon the first of the three 

 groups, especially, Nature has most profusely la- 

 vished these splendid ornaments The purple of 

 the iris, the richness of the rose, the azure blue of 

 the sky, the darkest velvet black, and many other 

 hues, are seen commingled with metallic lustre over 

 the pearly surface of the resplendent group, which 

 habitually frequenting the rocky shores, at no great 



