BRAMA.] PISCES (OSSEI) ACANTHOPT. 359 



which last assumes the appearance of a broad brown band : fins dark 

 gray : a faint golden lunulated mark with blue reflections on each side 

 of the nape continuous with the gill-opening : beneath this line, imme- 

 diately above the eyes, an irregular spot, presenting the same colours : 

 no lateral dark spot. 



First noticed by Montagu, who states that "it is by no means an 

 uncommon fish on the south coast of Devon." Is also found occasionally 

 off Hastings, but is not distinguished by the fishermen from the Sparus 

 centrodontus, which is taken there in much greater plenty. According 

 to Cuvier, there are two or three other allied species met with in the 

 Mediterranean, which may not improbably also occur at times in the 

 British seas. Food, according to that same author, at least in part, 

 vegetable substances. 



(4.) Old Wife, (Sparus Vetula,) Couch in Linn. Trans, vol. xiv. p. 79. 

 Loud. Mag. of Nat. Hist. vol. v. p. 743. 



As considerable doubt attaches to this species, I have thought it proper 

 to place it at the end of the present family, to which it certainly belongs. 

 The following is Mr. Couch's description. " Body deep, compressed, and 

 bearing a considerable resemblance to the S. Pagrus (of Couch) : lips 

 fleshy ; jaws furnished with a pavement of teeth, those in front the 

 longest; gill-membrane with five rays; gill-covers and body covered 

 with large scales ; ten first rays of the dorsal fin spinous ; the anal also has 

 four spinous rays, after which it becomes more expanded ; tail concave. 

 This fish has a membranous septum across the palate, as in the Wrasse 

 genus. When in high season, the colour behind the head is a fine green, 

 towards the tail reddish orange ; the belly has a lighter tinge of the same 

 colour. When out of season, the whole is a dusky lead colour. Weight 

 about three pounds." I should have had no hesitation in referring this 

 fish to the species last described, with which Mr. Couch himself has since 

 associated it, had it not been said to possess " a pavement of teeth." This 

 character, which is common to nearly all the other British Sparida, is 

 inapplicable to the Canthari, in which there are no rounded molars what- 

 ever. I am more inclined to think from such a circumstance, that it 

 will prove to be a species of the sub-genus Sargus, Cuv. 



GEN. 13. BRAMA, Schn. 

 33. B. Raii, Cuv. (Ray's Sea Bream.) 



B. Raii, Cuv. at Vol. Pom. torn. vii. p. 210. pi. 190. Sparus Raii, 

 Block, Ichth. pi. 273. Don. Brit. Fish. vol. n. pi. 37. S. niger, 

 Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 98. Brama marina cauda forcipata, Ray, 

 Sijn. Pise. p. 115. Will. Hist. Pise. App. p. 17. tab. V. 12. 

 B. marina, Flem. Brit. An. p. 210. La Castagnole, Cuv. Reg. 

 An. torn. n. p. 194. Toothed Gilt-head, Penn. Brit. Zool. 

 vol. in. p. 243. pi. 43. Mont, in Linn. Trans, vol. vii. p. 292. 

 Ray's Bream, Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. i. p. 117. 



LENGTH. From twenty-six to thirty inches. Cuv. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Body deep, compressed, elongated posteriorly: 

 snout rounded, very obtuse, the profile falling rapidly from the fore- 

 head : mouth oblique, approaching to vertical when the jaws are closed : 

 upper jaw with an outer row of sharp slender teeth, and a narrow band 

 of smaller ones behind ; in the lower jaw two rows of similar teeth, with 

 smaller ones between; those in the inner row curving inwards and 



