ACANTHOPTERYGII. 553 



like fins, The scales reflect the most brilliant hues. The spe- 

 cies are numerous and tropical. The ARCHERS, Toxotes, (Plate 

 XIV. fig. 4,) eject water out of the tubular mouth with such pre- 

 cision as to bring down any insect within their reach. In Java, 

 they are kept in glass vessels for amusement, an insect being 

 suspended by a thread above for the fish to shoot at. 



(7) Anabassidce, (from Gr. anabaino, to ascend.) CLIMBING 

 PERCHES. 



This family includes but one genus, Anabas, fishes whose res- 

 piratory organs are so constructed as to enable them to sustain 

 life for a space of time out of water, by having small apertures 

 or some receptacle where they can preserve sufficient water to 

 moisten their gills. There is but one species, A. scandens, (Lat. 

 climbing.) When a pond is dried up in which these Perches 

 are found, it is said they are guided by a remarkable instinct in 

 traveling towards the nearest water. Swainson says the Climb- 

 ing Perch "quits the water and ascends the roots of the man- 

 grove trees, (in East India,) an effort it accomplishes by using 

 its ventral fins as little feet." (These fish are by some natu- 

 ralists included in the family Labyrinlhibranchice, a name refer- 

 ring to the vascular membrane, folded together in a number of 

 laminae, and occupying the upper part of the front branchial 

 arches, and which serves to retain water for moistening the gills 

 during the travels of these fishes on the land.) 



(8) Scombridw, (Lat. scomber, a mackerel.) This includes 

 the Mackerels, an important as well as numerous family of al- 

 most entirely marine fish, found in all seas. Many are pelagic, 

 (roving far from land.) They are taken in such quantities as to 

 prove them to be inexhaustible. They live near the surface and 

 are among the fishes which quickly decompose. The TUNNY, 

 Thynnus, of the Mediterranean, is from three to four and even 

 fifteen feet in length. Fried in cutlets, this fish resembles veal, 

 the flavor being quite as much like that of flesh as of fish. The 

 BONITA, (Scomber pelamys,) found on our coast, is a species of 

 Tunny, which in the tropics pursues the Flying-fish. 



The SWORD-FISH, Xrphias gladius, the largest of the order, be- 

 ing from twelve to fifteen feet long, has the beak lengthened 

 into a long, powerful weapon, which it sometimes drives with 

 such violence as to penetrate to a great depth into the timbers of 

 ships. The PILOT FISH, Naucrates ductor, follows vessels, and 

 thus acts as a guide to the Sharks. Among the other American 

 fishes of this family found on our coast, are the following ; the 

 SPANISH MACKEREL, Cymbium, (Gr. kumbion, a small bowl ;) 

 the CRAB-EATER, Elacate, (Gr. a distaff;) the CAROLINA LTCHIA, 



