ACANTIiOPTERVGIANS. 123 



cal and trenchant. The body is oblong, the head obtuse, and the fins 

 thickened by the scales which cover them; from which circumstance their 

 name is derived*. They are oval fishes, smooth, and covered with brown 

 scales; they inhabit both oceans f. 



A neighbouring genus is that of 



DiPTERODON }, 



Which has the teeth also trenchant, but cut sloping and not geniculate, 

 and the spinous portion of the dorsal separated from the soft part by a 

 deep emargination. The Cape, or 



Dipt, capensis, Cuv., is the only species known. 

 The following genera, which we place next to Chsetodon on account of 

 (heir scaly fins, differ greatly from it, however, in the teeth with which 

 their palatines and vomer are furnished. The genus 



I3rama§, />/. ScJw., 



The Sea-Breams, are connected with this family by the scales covering 

 the vertical fins, which have but a small number of spinous rays concealed 

 in their anterior edges ; but they have slender teeth placed like cards in 

 the jaws and palatines, an elevated profile, very short snout, a forehead 

 descending vertically, and a mouth, when shut, that is almost vertical; the 

 scales extend as far as on the raaxillaries ; there are seven rays in the 

 branchiae; a low dorsal and anal, but commencing in a salient point; a 

 short stomach ; a small intestine, and only five csca. 



But one species is known, Sparus Raii, Bl. 273; it inhabits the 

 Mediterranean, and sometimes strays into the ocean; an excellent 

 fish of a burnished steel colour, Avhich attains a large size, but is in- 

 fested with various species of intestinal worms. 



PERlPIIERrSj ClW., 



Have a long and scaly anal, the dorsal short and elevated; head obtuse; 

 the eye large ; a small spine on the operculum ; small crowded teeth in 

 the jaws, vomer, and palatines. From the Indian Ocean ||. 



* Pimdeplcrus (fat fin). This genus of Lacepede, IV, 429, formed from Bosc, is 

 the same as that of Xistere, \, 484, formed from Commerson; and there is every 

 i-L'ason to believe that the Dorsuuire, Lacep. V, 482, which is certainly identical with 

 the Kyphose, III, 114, may very possibly also be the same as the Xisterus. 



+ The Pimeloptirc hn.squien, Lacep. IV, ix, 1, or Chcetodon cyprinaceus, Ijrousso- 

 net; — the Pim. marciac, Qiioy et Gaym. ^'oy. Freycin. pi. 62, f. 4; — Pim. du Cap, or 

 Kipliose double basse, Lacep. III,viii, 1; — a Brazil species, formerly named by 

 Bankes Clicctodon ciisis. 



X This genus, the name of which is borrowed from Lacep., does not, however, 

 contain the same species. 



§ I strongly suspect that it is the Brania which RI. Ilafinesque has in view, in his 

 Lepodus sarngns, Nouv. Gen. No. 144. Shaw makes two species of it, but why, 

 it is impossible to say, the Sp. Rati, and Sp. cas/aneuln; the latter after Lacep.; but 

 Lacep. made his genus only for the species of Bloch and Kay. 



II Pempheris touca, Cuv., Sparus argeiiteus, J.White, A^\>. 2G7, or Kuiius argcn- 

 teas, Bl. Schn. 104; — P. mangula, Cuv., Iluss. 114; — P. molucca, Cuv.^ Ren. I, xv, 

 85, and Valent, No. 46. 



