iti.K. 



PERDICID^E. 



M i 



Schn of U Atutrians, n.l the Nagroaul of tho Bavarian*. A second 

 specM*. the L. \\Jyna i of llmelin. inhibit* the riven of Russia, and 

 third U found iu the United State*. 



. U*n (Cur. and VaL). This genus U founded on a fish described 

 by Sir John Hich.nlwn, which, with most of the essential characters 

 of the percbrs, differs in baring the opercula simple, a character in 

 (act not found in either of the other genera here described. The 

 prcM alluded to inhabiU Lake Huron, and U called by the inhabi- 

 tant* the Blck Bess : it U one of the bwt-flaroarcd fishes of that lake. 



7. Brlii (Cur. and Vl).- In thin genus, a* in Ltvcioperta, there are 

 larger teeth intermixed with the ordinary minute ones, but hero the 

 Itrger teeth are confined to the jaws, and are not found intermixed 

 with the palatine teeth, aa in LtiKtoptrca ; the opcrculnm is terminated 

 by two spine*, whiUt in the genus jut mentioned it is simple. Only 

 one specie* of Aefe i* known ; it* body U elongated, the muzzle is 

 rather obtuse, UM eye* Tery Urge, and the outer ray* of the tail-fin 

 are elongated. Thi* fi*h (the K. cartunealiu, CUT. and VaL) is also 

 remarkable for it* brilliant red colour, and is adorned with longi- 

 tudinal golden stripes. It is found in the region of the Scychelle 

 Island*, north of Madagascar. 



& A'tpAoH (Cur. and VaL). This genus is founded on a single species 

 found in the Japanese Sea, and is remarkable for the large spines with 

 which the opercnla are armed ; the preoperculum is strongly denUted 

 at it* margin and furnished with a long and powerful spine at its 

 angle, and the operculum has three of these large spines ; the first 

 dorsal is large, and its spinous rays are strong ; the body is somewhat 

 rtimg-*^. and the head is pointed. The authors last quoted apply to 

 tin* specie* the name A', tjnnonu. 



9. Emoplotiu (Laecpede) is also founded upon a single species (from 

 Australia) originally described in White's 'Journal of a Voyage to 

 New South Wales,' in which work the fish is mistaken for a Chtrlodon, 

 no doubt from it* short, deep, and compressed form, and produced 

 muzzle. Like the true Perches, it has two dorsal fins, but these are 

 much extended in the vertical direction ; the third ray of the first 

 dorsal U Tery Urge and long, and the six anterior rays of the second 

 dorsal are also much elongated ; the infra-orbital U denticulated, and 

 so i* the preoperculum, which is moreover furnished with a strong 

 spine ; the operculum is simple, that is, destitute of spines. It is the 

 Enoptona armatut of CUT. and Val., a fish of small size, being seldom 

 more than 8 or 10 inches in length ; the body is adorned with seven 

 or eight black bands on a silvery ground ; some of these bands however 

 are abbreviated. 



10. IKptoprim (Kuhl and Van Hasselt), like the two preceding 

 genera, contains but one species (Difloprion bifcuciatum of the authors 

 lust quoted). This fish is of a short and high form, having a large 

 Dead somewhat obtusely terminated in front ; its colour is yellow ; a 

 broad black vertical mark runs through the eye, and a still broader 

 band cro*es the body. The infra-orbital is entire, the preoperculum 

 i* denticulated, and the operculum is armed with three strong spines. 

 It is found off the coast of Java. 



11. Apoffo* (Laotfpede). In this genus the first and second dorsal 

 fin* are small in antero-posterior extent, and widely separated ; the 

 general form of the body is ovate, but somewhat suddenly leas deep 

 behind UM teoond dorsal ; the head i without scales, large, and obtuse 

 in front ; the scale* are very large, and easily dislodged ; the preoper- 

 culum is denticulated. Many species of this genus inhabit the Indian 

 ran, but that which i* most generally known (the A. rtrmuUorum) is 

 found in the Mediterranean. It is a small fish, rarely more than 5 or 

 fl inches in length, and of a golden-red colour, with a black spot on 

 each side at the bue of the tail-fin ; there U also generally a pot of 

 the earne colour near rach angle of this fin, another on the posterior 

 dorsal, and a brown tint between the eye and the tip of the muzzle. 



larger blotches, the body is marked with minute black 



11 CktOodipttnu (Lacopede) ha* larger pointed teeth mixed with 

 UM ordinary one* ; the preoperculum is denticulated, and the oper- 

 culum is entire. [CiiEiLODirTEiiua,] 



18. Pomatomut (Car. and VaL). In this genus the dorsal fins are 

 small in antero-poeterior extent, and widely separated; the second 

 dorsal fin and the anal fin* are thick and covered with small scale* ; 

 the body i* somewhat elongated and thick ; the head i* large, and the 

 eye* very large ; the opercula are covered with Male*; those on the 

 body arc large, and easily dislodged. 



Only one species of this genus U known, the 1'omatomiu teleteopium 

 of Itiaso, and this i* said to be exceedingly rare, living, it appears, in 

 very deep water. Huso states that at Mice, where the species has been 

 found, only two specimen* were taken during thirty years. The indi- 

 vidual from which MI-MI-*. Cuvier and Valencieniies's description is 



was about 20 inches (French measure) in length. The colour of 

 this fiah is brownish-violet, with blue and reddish reflection*. The 

 authors just mentioned do not appear quite satisfied a* to the .true 

 affinities of this genus. 



14. Amhtutit (Cuv. and Val.). This genus is founded upon a small 

 flh found off the coast of the Isle of Bourbon ; iu principal characters 

 consist in the double series of denticiilations on the lower portion of 

 UM pre-operculnm, denticulated infra-orbital, a protractile mouth, 

 a small decumbent 



spine in front of the first dorsal fin, the point 

 of which i* directed forwards. In the form of the body it approaches 



the common perch. It U the A. Commertonii (Cuv. and VaL): a 

 second species is found off the Malabar coast, and there are several in 

 the Indian sea*, most of which are described by Hamilton in hi* 

 ' Account of the Fishes found in the River Ganges and its Branches,' 

 under the generic name Chawla. 



15. Atpro (Cuv. and Val.). The species of this genus have the body 

 elongated, slender, and approaching to a cylindrical form ; the eye is 

 moderate, and placed iu the upper part of the head ; the muzzle is 

 obtuse, and the mouth is rather small ; the first and second dorsals 

 ited, and the ventral fins are large. Two species are 



known ; one found in the Rhone, the Saone, and some other rivers of 

 France, is about six or seven inches in length, of a reddish or yellowish 

 brown colour, and has four black bands extending across the back. 

 It is the A. vulgarit of Cuv. and Val., and Perca tupera of Ltnntous. 

 A second species of Atpro (the A. Zingel Cuv. and Val.), found in the 

 Danube and its tributaries, attains a much larger size. 



16. Orammiila (Cuv. and Val.). The species composing this genus 

 have small scales; their operculum and preoperculum are armed with 

 spines, but not denticulated ; the anal fin has no distinct spinous rays ; 

 the body is usually moderately deep, somewhat compressed, and sud- 

 denly less deep towards the tail ; the head is moderately large, the 

 eyes moderate, and tbo first and second dorsal fins are placed near 

 each other. 



The U. orientalii (Cuv. and VaL) is of small size ; its colour is deep 

 brown, and the head and body are adorned with numerous longitu- 

 dinal white lines ; the number of these lines, it would appear, varies 

 in different individuals. It inhabits the Indian seas. 



This genus terminates the first division of the Pcrcoidet of Cuvier 

 and Valenciennes, a section sufficiently extensive both as to genera 

 and species, and (if we except a few species) in all probability a 

 natural one. 



Tho second division comprises those species in which tho first or 

 spinous dorsal is united with the second or soft-rayed dorsal, so as to 

 form one continuous fin, and is composed chiefly of the great genus 

 ferranta. [SEUUANUS.] 



The third division embraces those Percoid Fishes which differ from 

 the preceding in having less than seven branchiostegous rays. The 

 principal genera contained in this division are noticed under the proper 

 heads. Like the Scrrani, they have the first and second dorsal fins 

 united, but there is often a deep emargination between the spinous 

 and soft-rayed portion. 



The fourth division is composed of such species as have more than 

 five soft rays to the ventral fins, and more than seven branchiostegous 

 rays. It contains the following genera : 



1. Myripritti*(Cuv. and Val.), or fishes having the above characters, 

 combined with a short deep and somewhat compressed form of body, 

 which is suddenly contracted near the tail, and furnUbed with large 

 and strongly-serrated scales, the head large, the mouth also large, and 

 the eye moderate ; the preoperculum is denticulated, and the oper* 

 culum is serrated, and produced into a strong and large spine ; there 

 is a strong spinous ray in front of the ventral fins, and three or four 

 spines in front of the anal, one of which at least is large : the first and 

 second dorsals are almost separated by a deep emargination. The 

 species of this genus inhabit the tropical seas of both the old and new 

 world, and are usually of small size, seldom exceeding seven or eight 

 inches in length : their colouring is usually very brilliant. 



2. Jfolocenlrnm (Cuv. and Val.). This genus, like the last, contains 

 fishes of very brilliant colouring, the prevailing bue being shades of 

 red. It differs chiefly from ifyriprittit in having a strong spine on 

 the angle of the preoperculum : the operculum is strongly serrated, 

 and armed with large spines. The species are found in the seas of 

 tropical climates. 



3. Jieryx (Cuv. and Vol.). In this genus there is no spine on the 

 angle of the preoperculum, and it moreover has but one rather short 

 dorsal fin, which is not emarginated. [liEitvx. ] 



In this division Messrs. Cuvier and Valenciennes also plaoeDr. Shaw's 

 genus Trachichthyi, founded on a fish from the coast of Australia (7*. 

 A tutralit, Shaw), which apparently differs chiefly in having a double 

 keel on the abdomen, which is strongly serrated ; the preoperculum 

 is armed with a spine. 



In the fifth division of Percoid Kinh.es the ventral fins are placed in 

 advance of the pectorals. It contains the genera Trachinut, Percii, 

 Pinyuipet, Percophii, and UranoKojnu. 



In the sixth and last division the ventral fins are placed behind tin: 

 pectorals. It comprise* the genera Sphyntna, Paraleju'i, and 

 Polynemut. 



PEUCNOPTERUS. [Vui.TURiD*.] 



l'i:KiIIK.. [PFIU.-ID*.] 



l'KKM'CII>^, the name of a family, or, according to some, a sub- 

 family of Telratmiila : in the latter case the form should be Perdifimr. 



The genus Penlij; Briss., in Mr. Swainson's arrangement, is made 

 to contain the sub-genera Pertti.r ( I'nrt ridges) ; Chalopui (Francolins) ; 

 t'oiurnir (Quails) ; Ptilopachut, Sw. ; and <My.r, Stephens. 



The Perdicintf, according to Mr. U. It. Cray's arrangement, form 

 the first sub-family of the Tetraonidtt, and consist of the following 

 genera: llhayinu, Wagler; FrancMntu, Briss.; Perdix, Lath.; 

 Sterna, Bonap. ; Lenca, Hodgs, ; Arborophila, Hodgs. ; Colurnix, Briss.; 

 Ptilopaehui, Swain*.; Liponyx, VieilL [TKIHAONIDJ-;]; Ortyx, Stephens; 



