190 CLASS XIV. 



one section, with maxillary teeth in a single row, palatine and vomerine 

 teeth none, this he calls Upeneus: another, with maxillary, palatine and 

 vomerine teeth in several rows, very small, under the name, not the 

 best, of Upeneoides: finally a third, with a similar name, Mulloides, where 

 the maxillary teeth are in several rows, and without teeth in palate-bones. 



Sp. Upeneus lateristriga Cuv., LAO. Pom. ra. PL 13, figs, i, 2, Cuv. 

 R. Ani., id. ill, Poiss. PI. 19, fig. 3; Upeneus Vlamingii (Upeneoides 

 BLEEK.), Cuv. et VAL. Poiss. in. PI. 71 ; from the Indian Ocean. 



Mullus Cuv. Teeth in upper jaw none, crowded in lower jaw 

 and vomer. 



Sp. Mullus surmuletus L., BLOCH Ichth. Tab. 57, Cuv. R. Ani., d. ill., 

 Poiss. PI. 19, fig. 2 ; Mullus barbatus L., BLOCH Ichth. Tab. 348, fig. 2, 

 (this figure gives erroneously teeth in the upper jaw), Cuv. ek VAL. Pom. 

 PI. 70. Both these species in the Mediterranean Sea and also in the 

 Atlantic Ocean, and now and then (especially the first) in the North Sea. 

 These species have no swimming-bladder, whilst in most of the species of 

 Upeneus that organ is very large. 



The Romans made much ado about this fish, and often paid \mprecedented 

 sums for large MuUi of two or more pounds, (Mullus bilibris, MAKTIAL. 

 Lib. xi. 50, v. 9, Lib. in. 45, v. 5 ; trilibris, HORAT. Satirar. Lib. 11. 2, 

 v. 33). The Mullus barbatus was kept by them in vivaria; they amused 

 themselves with the beautiful red colour of the fish, as we do with the gold 

 fish (Cyprinus auratus) ; they caused them to be exhibited alive to their 

 guests at table before they were set before them: " Vitreis ollis inclusi offe- 

 runtur, et observatur morientium color, quern in multas mutationes mors 

 luctante spiritu vertit, olios necant in garo et condiunt mvos. Nihil est mullo 

 exspirante formosius," &c. SENEC. Nat. Qucest. L. in. c. 17, 18. 



Section II. Percini. No cirri in lower jaw. Bays of bran- 

 chiostegons membrane more than four. 



A. Ventral fins abdominal (a little more posterior than 

 pectoral) . 



Sphyrcena ARTEDI, BL., SCHN. Body elongate, covered with 

 small scales. Teeth sharp, unequal in jaws and palate-bones, 

 none in vomer. Gape of mouth large; lower jaw produced beyond 

 upper, cuspidate. Branchiostegous membrane with seven rays. 

 Two dorsal fins, small, distant. 



Sp. Sphyrcena vulgaris Cuv., Esox sphyrcena L., BLOCH Ichth. PI. 389, 

 GUEBIN Iconogr., Poiss. PL 10, fig. 2; in the Mediterranean Sea; Sphy- 

 rcena becuna LAC., Poiss. v. PI. 9, fig. 3, BLOCH Syst. Ichth. Tab. 29, 

 fig. i, from the West Indies, Brasil, &c. Some species also of this genus 

 occur in the Indian Ocean, as Sphyrcena Commersonii and Sphyr. jetto Cuv., 

 which with the colonists bear the name of snoek (pike). (The snoek of the 



