530 FISHES. 



Coras. — Scales small, in fifty or more transverse series ; 

 lateral line not interrupted. Head entirely naked. Dorsal 

 spines nine. 



Twenty-three species, distrilmted like PlaUjfjlossus ; two 

 reach the south coast of England, Coris jidis and C. giofredi, 

 said to be male and female of the same species. Some 

 belong to the most gorgeously coloured kinds of the whole 

 class of fishes. 



Genera allied to the preceding Laljroids are — Cliocrofs, 

 Xipliochilus, Semicossyphus, Trockoco'pus, Decodon, Pteragogiis, 

 Clepticus, Labrichthys, Labroidcs, Ditymoiria, Cirrhilahrus, 

 Doratonotus, Pseudocliilinus, Hemigymnus, Go^nplwsus, Cheilio, 

 and Cymolutes. 



PSEUDODAX. — Scales of moderate size ; lateral line continu- 

 ous ; cheeks and opercles scaly. Each jaw armed with two pairs 

 of broad incisors, and with a cutting lateral edge ; teeth of the 

 lower pharyngeal confluent, pavement-like. Dorsal spines eleven. 



One species (P. molvcccnsis) from the East Indian Archi- 

 pelago. 



SCARUS. — Jaws forming a sharp beak, the teeth being 

 soldered together. The lower jaw projecting beyond the upper. 

 A single series of scales on the cheek ; dorsal spines stiff, pun- 

 gent ; the upper lip double in its whole circuit. The dentigerous 

 plate of the lower pharyngeal is broader than long. 



The fishes of this genus, and the three succeeding, are 

 known by the name of " Parrot- wrasses." Of Scarvs one 

 species (*S'. cretcnsis) occurs in the Mediterranean, and nine 

 others in the tropical Atlantic. The first was held in high 

 repute by the ancients, and Aristotle has several pass- 

 ages respecting its rumination. It was most plentiful and 

 of the best quality in the Carpathian Sea, between Crete 

 and Asia Minor, but was not unknown even in early times 

 on the Italian coasts, though Columella says that it seldom 

 passed beyond Sicily in his day. But in the reign of 

 Claudius, according to Pliny, Optatus Elipentius brought it 



