ZOOLOGY. 



Sparus has the jaws covered with round flat teeth, 

 like pavement, for grinding down the stony corals, 

 and the hard shells of mollusca on which they 

 principally feed. 



The Chatodontida have the body compressed, 

 and the soft and spinous parts of their dorsal fins 

 covered with scales, so as not to be distinguished 

 from the rest of their body. The Chcetodon ro- 

 stratus, a native of India, which has a very pro- 

 longed snout, has the faculty of shooting insects 

 with drops of water projected from the mouth, 

 and it then seizes them as they fall. 



The next family, Scomberida (the Mackerel 

 tribe), is one of very great importance to man. It 

 comprises a large number of genera, a vast collec- 

 tion of species, and numberless individuals. The 

 aspect of the Common Mackerel, with its spindle- 

 shaped, beautifully coloured, smooth, and small- 

 scaled body, is well known. It very rapidly dies 

 out of water, and soon becomes tainted. The 

 Tunny (Thynnus vulgaris), which frequents the 

 Mediterranean, is a much larger fish, sometimes 

 attaining the length of twenty feet. The Xiphias, 

 or Sword-fish, which abounds in the Mediter- 

 ranean, and often attains the length of fifteen 

 feet, also belongs to the family. It can drive its 

 long-pointed beak into the timbers of a ship. The 



Dory (Zeusfaber). 



Dory remarkable for the filamentous prolonga- 

 tions from its dorsal fins is much prized by 

 epicures. And lastly, may be mentioned the Cory- 

 phana, commonly known as the Dolphin. This 

 is a large and splendidly coloured fish. It has 

 long been celebrated for its change of colour when 

 dying. It swims with great rapidity, and is very 

 voracious, committing great havoc among the 

 flying-fish. 



The small family of the Tcenidce (Ribbon-shaped 

 Fishes) are remarkable for the lateral flattening of 

 their body. The Lepidopus argyreus (the Scab- 

 bard-fish) belongs to the family. 



The Mugilidcz are lengthened and often nearly 

 cylindrical fishes, with a somewhat projecting 

 snout, and a very small mouth placed beneath it. 

 They are gregarious in their habits, frequenting 

 the mouths of rivers in large troops, and con- 

 stantly leaping out of the water. There are several 

 species found in European seas, but the one best 

 known on the British coast is the Mugil chelo, or 

 Thick-lipped Gray Mullet. 



The family of the Anabatidcz-*-Q{ which the 

 Climbing Perch of India (Anabas scandens) is an 

 example are remarkable for having the superior 

 pharyngeal bones divided into irregular leaves, 

 placed in the base of the skull, and containing 



cells among them, in which a supply of water for 

 moistening the gills may be carried, thus enabling 

 the animal to continue respiration out of its 

 proper element By means of this apparatus, 

 these fishes are enabled to quit the pool or rivulet 

 which constitutes their usual element, and move 

 to a considerable distance overland. They are 

 able not only to traverse plain grounds, but can 

 even climb trees in search of their prey. 



The members of the family Gobiodce (or Goby 

 tribe) are known by the thinness and flexibility of 

 their dorsal spines. Many of them are remark- 

 able for producing their young alive. This is the 

 case with the Blenny, of which several species 

 frequent the British shores, living in small troops 

 among the rocks. They are remarkably tenacious 

 of life, and are capable of being kept a good many 

 days in moist grass or moss, but they are of little 

 value as an article of food. One of the most inter- 

 esting species of this family is the Anarrhicas 

 lupus, or Sea-wolf. It inhabits the northern seas, 

 and is often met with on our shores, attaining the 

 length of six or seven feet. It is very formidable 

 in aspect, is remarkably strong, very active, and 

 equally ready to defend itself or attack an enemy. 

 In the Echeneis remora, or Sucking-fish, the 

 upper surface of the head is furnished with a 

 series of thin cartilaginous plates, by means of 

 which the animal can attach itself to any kind of 

 surface. It seems to prefer bodies in motion, and 

 is not unfrequently found adhering to large fish, 

 and to the bottoms of vessels, whose course it was 

 once absurdly believed capable of arresting. It is 

 abundant in the Mediterranean. The true Gobies 

 have the ventral fins placed far forwards and 

 united at their bases ; they are chiefly remark- 

 able for the nest which they construct among 

 the sea-weed for the protection of their young. 



The last family, the LophiidtE, have the wrist 

 bones much elongated, upon which the pectoral 

 fins are supported, thus forming a kind of arm. 

 This conformation gives these fish a very strange 

 appearance. One of the most curious is the 

 Lophius piscatorius (Angler or Fishing-frog) of the 

 British seas. It derives its name in part from its 

 wide gaping mouth, which is placed transversely, 

 and furnished with many sharp-curved teeth, and 



Angler (Lophius piscatorius), 



in part from the peculiar manner in which it 

 angles for its prey. There are some curious 

 appendages to its head, which terminate in long, 

 round, and rather brilliant filaments. The animal, 

 which sometimes measures four feet in length, 

 lurks in the mud, and puts these appendages in 

 vibration ; they are mistaken for worms by small 

 fishes, which they attract, and these are gulped 

 down the capacious maw of the lophius. To such 

 an extent is this voracity carried, that the angler 



159 



