92 SPAROIDS. 



into very long and strong tusks, and considerably exceed the other 

 teeth in size. They are supported on strong tumid processes of the 

 jaws, with which their bases are firmly anchylosed. In the jaws 

 represented at fig. 1, one of the large teeth has been shed, and the 

 cavity is laid open to expose its successor, of which the crown is 

 partly formed. Similar new teeth, preparing to take the place of the 

 smaller lateral laniaries, are exposed in their cavities. These reserve 

 teeth are situated above and a little to the outside of the base of the 

 tooth, which they are destined to displace ; and, in the more advanced 

 examples, a perforation leading to the cavity may be seen on the 

 outer side of the old tooth. Absorption of the anchylosed base of 

 the tooth commences at this part, and gradually extends inwards. 



In fig. 2, an inside view of the jaws of the left side is given, to 

 show the pavement of minute rounded denticles along the inner side of 

 the bases of the laniary teeth. The jaws are of great strength in 

 relation to the force with which the teeth are destined to be exerted. 



In the Dentex hexodon only six of the teeth in each jaw present 

 the laniary figure and size, the rest being small and closely aggregated 

 in a comb-like form. The tongue and palate are quite smooth, the 

 bones of these parts, as well as the vomer, being edentulous. The 

 pharyngeal bones, from the small size of their numerous teeth, 

 resemble fine combs. 



The Dentices devour small fishes, cephalopods and Crustacea ; 

 their intestinal canal is short, the pyloric cseca few, and the stomach 

 simple and membranous. They frequent rocky places. 



37. The gilt-heads {Chrysophrys) are distinguished by a dentition on 

 the same general teleological principle as in the Cestracion and Anar- 

 rhicas, the anterior teeth being adapted for seizing, and the posterior 

 ones for crushing the alimentary substances. These teeth are limited 

 in their position to the intermaxillary and premandibular bones. 

 The elongated conical anterior teeth are never fewer than four, or 

 more than six in each jaw. The posterior obtuse rounded grinding 

 teeth, are arranged in three or more rows. 



In the species of Gilt-head, {Chrysophrys Australis), of which the 

 jaws are figured in Plate 42, fig. 3, the principal or long anterior 

 conical teeth are four in each jaw ; those of the lower are more widely 



