390 FISHES. 



weight of 30 lbs. and more. They form a not unimportant 

 article of food where they are found in any number, as on 

 the Cape of Good Hope. The species found in the Mediter- 

 ranean {D. vulgaris) wanders sometimes to the south coast of 

 England, and is one of the larger species. The coloration of 

 these fishes is rather uniform, silvery, or pink, or greenish. 

 Bym'phorus is an allied genus from the Indo-Pacific. 



Synagris. — Body rather elongate, covered with ciliated scales 

 of moderate size. Cleft of the mouth horizontal, with the jaws 

 equal in length anteriorly. One continuous dorsal, with feeble 

 spines ; dorsal y , anal f . Caudal deeply forked. Teeth villi- 

 form, with canines at least in the upper jaw. Infraorbital not 

 armed ; pr?eoperculum without, or with a very indistinct ser- 

 rature. Cheek with three series of scales. Branchiostegals six. 



Marine fishes of small size ; about twenty species are 

 known from the tropical j^arts of the Indo-Pacific. Pcntapus, 

 Ch(cto]3tcrus, and Apharcus are allied genera from the same 

 area. 



Maena. — Body oblong, comjiressed, covered with ciliated scales 

 of moderate size. Mouth very protractile, the intermaxillary 

 pedicles extending backwards to the occiput. Teeth villiform ; 

 minute teeth on the vomer. One dorsal, scaleless, with feeble 

 spines. D. ^, A. f . Caudal fin forked. Prreoperculum without 

 serrature. Branchiostegals six. 



Small fishes from the Mediterranean, known to the 

 ancients ; valueless as food. Three species. 



Smaris. — Body oblong or cylindrical, covered with rather 

 small ciliated scales. Mouth very protractile, the intermaxillary 

 pedicles extending backwards to the occiput. Teeth villiform. 

 Palate toothless. One dorsal, scaleless, with eleven or more very 

 feeble spines ; anal with three. Caudal fin forked. Pro^oper- 

 culum without serrature. Branchiostegals six. 



Small fishes from the Mediterranean. Six species. 



C^ESio. — Body oblong, covered with ciliated scales of moderate 

 size. Cleft of the mouth more or less oblique, with the jaws 



