SEA-BREAMS. 409 



P. oivenii, the "Axillary or Spanish Sea-Bream," likewise 

 from the British coasts. Fagellus lithognatlius, from the coasts 

 of the Cape of Good Hope, attains to a length of four feet, 

 and is one of the fishes which are dried for export and sale 

 to whalers. 



Chrysophrys. — Body oblong, compressed, with scales of 

 moderate size. Jaws with four or six canine teeth in front, and 

 with three or more series of rounded molars on each side. Cheeks 

 scaly. The spines of the dorsal fin, eleven or twelve in number, 

 can be received in a groove ; anal spines three. 



Some twenty species are known from tropical seas and 

 the warmer parts of the temperate zones. Generally known 

 is Ch. aurata, from the Mediterranean, occasionally found on 

 the south coast of England, where it is named " Gilthead." 

 The French call it " Daurade," no doubt from the Latin Aurata, 

 a term applied to it by ancient authors. The Greeks named 

 it Chrysophrys (i.e. golden eyebrow), in allusion to the bril- 

 liant spot of gold which it bears between its eyes. According 

 to Columella, the Aurata was among the number of the fishes 

 brought up by the Eomans in their vivaria ; and the inventor 

 of those vivaria, one Sergius Grata, is supposed to have derived 

 his surname from this fish. It is said to grow extremely fat 

 in artificial ponds. Duhamel states that it stirs up the sand 

 with the tail, so as to discover the shell-fish concealed in it. 

 It is extremely fond of mussels, and its near presence is 

 sometimes ascertained by the noise which it makes while 

 breaking their shells with its teeth. Several species found on 

 the Cape of Good Hope attain to as large a size as Pagellus 

 lithagnathus, and are preserved for sale like that species. 

 Clirysophrys hasta is one of the most common species of the 

 East Indian and Chinese coasts, and enters large rivers. 



Fifth Grov/p — Pimclcpterina. — In both jaws a single 

 anterior series of cutting teeth, implanted by a horizontal 

 posterior process, behind wliich is a band of villiform teeth. 



