312 ACANTHOPT. PIPE-MOUTHED FAMILY. 



by which they are united. The rays of the second 

 dorsal are soft ; the pectoral is small, and the ven- 

 trals have a depression behind in which they can 

 be lodged. The colour of the back is red, that of 

 the sides being rather lighter ; the sides of the head 

 are of a silvery hue, tinged with a golden colour ; 

 the scales of the body are hard and rough, and the 

 surface granulated. All the fins are greyish white. 

 According to M. Risso, the Trumpet-fish prefers a 

 muddy bottom, in moderately deep water, and 

 spawns in spring. The young are seen near the 

 shore in autumn, shining with a brilliant silvery 

 lustre, not having as yet acquired the golden red 

 hue of the adult fish. They are not very numerous, 

 and do not v\ r ander far from the locality in which 

 they are bred. Their beak-like mouth is well 

 adapted for detaching minute animals from the va- 

 rious sorts of sea- weed ; and it is probable that, by 

 dilating their throat, they can draw up their food 

 along their cylindrical back, as water is drawn up 

 the pipe of a syringe. Their flesh is considered 

 good. 



Thus, after such elucidation as our space would 

 admit, have we brought to a close our account of 

 the different British species, which have been cata- 

 logued as belonging to the former subdivision of the 

 First Great Series of Osseus Fishes, — the Acan- 

 thopterygii) or Spiny-finned Osseous Fishes. This 

 First Order is often stated, in general terms, to 



