PERCID^. 377 



of which is still uncertain, seem to affect principally fresh 

 water, although some are also found in the sea. The best 

 known European species is Lahrax Iv/pus (see p. 41, Fig. 4), 

 common on the British coasts. It is a voracious fish, with a 

 remarkably large stomach, and received from the ancient 

 Eomans the appropriate name of hptis. By the Greeks it 

 was so highly esteemed that Archestratus termed this or one 

 of the two other closely-allied species, taken near Milet, 

 " offspring of the gods." They attributed to it a tender regard 

 for its own safety; and Aristotle says that it is the most 

 cunning of fishes ; and that, when surrounded by the net, it 

 digs for itself a channel of escape through the sand. Speci- 

 mens of from two to three feet are not scarce, but its 

 flesh is nowadays much less esteemed than in ancient times. 

 Of the North American species Lahrax lineatus and Lahrax 

 rufvs are the most common. 



Lates. — All the teeth are vUIiform, without canines ; teeth 

 on the palatine Irenes and vomer, but none on the tongue. Two 

 dorsal fins — the first with seven or eight, the anal fin Avith two 

 or three, spines. Pra^operculum Avith strong spines at the angle 

 and the lower limb ; also the prasorbital is strongly serrated. 

 Scales of moderate size. Branchiostegals seven ; pseudobranchins 

 present. 



Three well-known species belong to this genus. The 

 Perch of the Nile and other rivers of tropical Africa (Lates 

 niloticus) ; the Perch of the Ganges and other East Indian 

 rivers, which enters freely brackish water, and extends to the 

 rivers of Queensland (Lates calcarifcr). These two sjjecies 

 attain to a large size, the Indian species to a length of five 

 feet. Hamilton says that "the vulgar English in Calcutta 

 call it ' Cockup,' and that it is one of the lightest and most 

 esteemed foods brought to table in that city." Specimens 

 two feet in length and caught in salt water are by far the 

 best quality. The third species {Lates colonorum) is found in 



