CORYPH.ENA. FISHES. 481 



O. niger, Risso. Body tinted with ebony black on a reddish violet 

 ground ; lateral line double ; fins deep black. 5 inches long. In- 

 habits the Mediterranean sea Risso, pi. 12, fig. 41. 



Gen. 130. CORYPILENA, Cuv. 



Body elongated, covered with small scales ; head compressed, 

 edged above, and the forehead vertical ; teeth very small, 

 crowded ; dorsal fin extending from the nape. 



C. Hippuris, Lin. Body of a fine blue silvery colour,, spotted with 

 yellow ; almost all the fins yellow ; tail forked. 3 to 4 feet long. 

 Inhabits Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Indian seas. Shaw, iv. 

 pi. 32. 



The beautiful and varying colours in this species are very evanescent. When taken 

 out of the water, the colour fades as the fish expires, till at last it becomes of a dull 

 grayish or cinereous appearance. 



Gen. 131. PTERACLIS, Gronov. Ogliopodus, Lacep. 

 Body elongated, much compressed ; teeth in one row above and 

 two below ; scales large, and notched at the margin to receive 

 the small spine of the following scale ; dorsal fin very elevated, 

 commencing above the head and extending to the caudal fin ; 

 anal fin of equal size ; ventrals before the pectorals. 



P. velifer, Cuv. (Corypkcena, Pall.) Body much elongated, much 

 compressed, and almost surrounded by two immense dorsal and 

 anal fins ; fins brown, with white spots. Cuv. Reg. An. ii. 329. 



4. With one dorsal Jin ; teeth edged and in a single row. 



Gen. 132. AMPHACANTHUS, Schn. Scarus, Gmel. 

 Jaws convex, with a single row of small flat and dentated teeth 

 along their edge ; a curved spine before the dorsal fin, a spine 

 at each side of the ventrals, and the internal margin attached 

 to the abdomen ; scales small. 



A. rivulatus, Forsk. Body bluish, spotted with black, and marked 

 by longitudinal yellowish undulations ; tail forked. Inhabits Red 

 Sea Shaw, iv. 395. 



Gen. 133. ACANTHURUS, Lacep. Theutis, Lin. 

 Body compressed, broader than long*; front vertical ; teeth in 

 one row, and their edges crenulated ; a strong spine on each 

 side the base of the tail ; scales small. 



A. nigricans, (Chcetodon, Bloch.) Body black above, brown on the 

 sides, and whitish towards the belly ; pectoral fins gray, those of 

 the belly black ; a curved spine on each side of the tail. Inha- 

 bits South American seas. Bloch, pi. 203. 



A. chirurgus, Lacep. Body ovate, orange-yellow, crossed in the 

 hind part by transverse brown stripes ; a strong curved spine ca- 

 pable of erection on each side of the tail. 9 or 10 inches long. 

 Inhabits American seas Shaw, iv. pi. 52. 



VOL. I. H h 



