C H M T O D O N. 



defined, so that much confusion prevails in their 

 nomenclature. They ;ill inhabit ihe seas of tropical 

 countries, and were unknown or disregarded by the 

 ancients. The skeletons of some species have been 

 found, along 1 with other ruiiio of the animal kingdom, 

 in the strata at Mount l.ulca. La Cepede particularly 

 mentions the remains of the C. vespcrtilio and term. 

 The (,'. wargiiKthtii appears to prefer the mouths of 

 rivers, is very common at the Antilles, and its rlesh is 

 good. The flesh of the C. macrnlepidotus, a native of 

 the East indies, i's said, in point of delicacy, to resem- 

 ble the sole. But the most extraordinary species is 

 the C. roxtmtns, a native of the fresh waters of India. 

 Dr. Shaw, after informing us that its prey consists of 

 the smaller kinds of insects, says, " When it observes 

 one of these, either hovering over the water or seated 

 on some aquatic plant, it shoots against it from its 

 tuberous snout a drop of water, with so sure an aim, 

 as generally to lay it dead, or at least stupified, on the 

 surface. In shooting at a sitting insect, it is commonly 

 observed to approach within the distance of from six 

 to four inches, before it c:;plodes the water. When kept 

 in a state of confinement in a large vessel of water, it 

 is said to afford high entertainment by its dexterity in 

 this exercise ; since, if a fly or other insect be fastened 

 to the edge of the vessel, the fish immediately perceives 

 it, and continues to shoot at it with such admirable 

 skill, as very rarely to miss the mark." 



In whatever part of the world they are found, these 

 fishes are equally remarkable for their singular forms, 

 their brilliant colours, and their great activity. They 

 are so remarkable in these respects, that they have 

 sometimes been described as occupying a similar 

 place in the tropical seas to that which the parrots 

 occupy in the tropical forests ; and though, as is the 

 case with all fishes, their colours fade much more after 

 death than those of birds ; they perhaps excel the 

 parrots in brilliancy while they are alive. All their 

 colours ha>e a metallic lustre, and though some of them 

 are of one very intense colour, as for instance golden 

 yellow, ultra-marine blue, or rich bronze, when the 

 ' *h is at rest, yet, when it moves, they are all iride- 

 scent and sparkle with a gem-like lustre. They are 

 also exceedingly numerous, both in species and indi- 

 viduals, and as they keep near the surface, anc 

 frequently spring into the air, they have a very 

 brilliant effect. The variety of them is, indeed, so 

 great, tnat they have hitherto set description at defiance 

 and a mere list of them would occupy too much space 

 in a work of this kind. Cuvier divides them into 

 several sub-genera, of which, and one or two of the 

 leading species, we shall give very short notices. 



I. CH^TODONS properly called. These have the 

 body more or less elliptic, the spmous and soft rays o 

 the fins are continued in a curve which is not very 

 uniform ; the muzzle is differently produced in differ 

 ent species ; and in some of them the gill-flap is armec 

 with a small tooth. The spines of the dorsal are 

 sometimes very much produced. Most of the species 

 of this sub-genus inhabit the eastern tropical seas 

 The following are some of the principal genera : 



Chtetodon stria I us, this species is sometimes callec 

 the zebra, on account of its stripes. It has the heac 

 and gill-cover armed with the same scales as the back 

 two openings to each nostril, the vent much nearer the 

 head than the tail, the caudal fin is rounded. Its 

 general colours are : the ground a beautiful yellow 

 with four or five transverse bands of brown on the 

 sides, and the pectoral fins black. It is one of the 



argest species, and also plentiful ; and its flesh, which 

 s white, firm, and well flavoured, is much sought after. 



Choi todou nnimucidatiis. This species is sometimes 

 called the black spot ; its distinguishing characters are, 

 he tail forked, a black band crossing the nape, inclini- 

 ng the eyes, and extending down to the gill-covers, 

 and a single large spot on each side of the back. It 

 s found principally in the North Pacific, toward the 

 Japan and Philippean islands. 



Chcetodon capistratm. This species has the tail 

 rounded, the black band on the head straighter, and 

 the black spots on the back surrounded with white. It 

 is found in the same seas with the former species. 



Those which we have mentioned are but a very 

 few of the species or varieties of this abundant and in- 

 teresting sub-genus ; but the differences, though con- 

 spicuous enough, are not very important, as they are 

 almost wholly differences of colour only. 



II. CHKLMONS. This sub-genus has been separated 

 by Cuvier from the chsetodons properly so called, in 

 consequence of the peculiar form of the muzzle, which 

 is slender, very much elongated, and has some resem- 

 blance to a whistle. The known species are inhabitants 

 close in shore, and are understood to subsist chiefly 

 upon air insects. 



ChcEtodon rostratus. This is a very beautiful species, 

 the ground colour being golden and silvery in alternate 

 bands, with an ocellated spot, black in the middle and 

 surrounded with white, immediately in the rear of the 

 dorsal fin; this is the species formerly alluded to as 

 being dexterous in shooting flies. In consequence of 

 the beauty of its colours, and the liveliness of its action, 

 it is often kept in vases by the people of the east, in the 

 same manner as gold fishes are kept in this country. 



Another species with the muzzle still more elongated, 

 and of a lemon yellow colour with some black spots, 

 has been described as 'inhabiting the South Sea. 



III. HENIOCHUS Coachmen. This sub-genus get 

 their common name from one long filament proceeding 

 from the dorsal fin, and sometimes extending to twice 

 the length of the body. The form of this filament is 

 not unlike that of the cord of a coachman's whip. 

 The following is one of the principal species : 



Cheetodon macrolepidotus. This is a large species, 

 being sometimes met with of the weight of twenty-five 

 pounds. Its flesh is very much esteemed ; and its 

 colours are brilliant, being very splendent, silvery in 

 the greater part of the body, arid crossed by two 

 brown bands on each side. Several other species of 

 this sub-genus are mentioned by systematic writers, 

 but the accounts of them are not a little confused. 



IV. EPHIPPUS Horsemen. The principal charac- 

 ter of these is a deep notch between the spinous and 

 soft parts of the dorsal fin. The spinous part is without 

 scales. This division is found both on the American 

 coast and the east, and the species are very numerous. 



V. HOI.OCANTHUS. The leading character of these 

 is a large spine on the angle of the gill-flap, the edge 

 of which is also toothed. Like the preceding sub- 

 genus, they are found both in the Atlantic and Pacific. 

 The species is very numerous, their colours are beauti- 

 fully arranged, and they are much esteemed as food. 



VI. POMACANTHUS. These have the body more 

 elevated, and their dorsal fin rises higher than in most 

 of the species. They have been met with only on 

 the American shores. 



VII. PLATAX. These have their teeth closely set, 

 the first row being trenchant, and each consisting of 

 three points. Their bodies are very much compressed 



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