2718 



THE BONY FISHES AND GANOIDS 



may be divided into two groups, according to the presence or absence of teeth on the 

 vomers; the first group including the small prettily-colored fishes known as Cir- 

 rhites, Chorinemus, etc., of which the former are characteristic of the Indian and 

 Pacific Oceans, while the latter is confined to the Australasian seas. 



Of the group with teeth on the vomers, we illustrate on p. 2717 a 

 1 ys species ( Cirrhitichthys marmoratus) of a genus differing from the typ- 

 ical one by the presence of teeth on the palatine bones, and by the spiny opercular 

 bone; the preopercular being serrated in both. These fish have six branchiostegal 

 rays, tusks in the jaws, and ten spines in the dorsal fin. Five to seven of the lower 

 pectoral rays are unbranched, the scales are of moderate size, and there is no air 

 bladder. The spotted firm fin, which ranges from the Red sea, through the Indian 

 and Malayan seas to the Sandwich Islands, is one of those in which there is no 



AUSTRALIAN LONG FIN. 



(One-half natural size.) 



elongation of a ray of the pectoral fins; while it is specially characterized by the 

 spotted coloration, the body and median fins showing brown spots, and a row of 

 darker spots occupying the base of the dorsal. 



In the group with toothless vomers, one of the most notable genera 

 is that of the long fins ( Chilodactylus) , so named on account of the 

 elongation of one of the rays of the pectoral fins, which projects to a greater or 

 less degree beyond the rest. A considerable number of species have been 

 described, most of which are inhabitants of the temperate region of the South 

 Pacific, although some are found round the coasts of Japan and China. The 

 species here figured (C. macropterus} is an Australian one; and both in Australia 

 and at the Cape these fishes form a valuable food supply, since they attain a weight 

 of from five to twenty-five pounds, and are easily captured. An allied genus 



