iCANTHOPTERYGII, 5(35 



tail, and a horizontal spine before the dorsal fin. They have but 

 one row of teeth, and are among the small number of the class 

 that feed entirely on vegetable substances. The DOCTOR-FISH, 

 Acanthurus, (Gr. spine-tail,) cceruleus, (Lat. dark blue,) has 

 caudal lancets which are short, hard, and glassy, and are en- 

 closed in a yellow membranous sheath. It is common on the 

 coasts of the West India islands, South Carolina and Florida. 

 The SURGEON-FISH, A. phlebolomus, (Gr. vein-cutting,) is another 

 species found off the coasts of the United States. The caudal 

 lancets of these fishes are analogous to the horns of ruminating 

 animals, and to be regarded rather as defensive than offensive 

 weapons. 



(11) Atherinida, (Gr. atfyerina, from atlier, a thorn.) 



This is a family sometimes included in the Mugilida, called 

 Silver-sides, from the silvery band on the side ; the two dorsal 

 fins are far apart ; the anterior one spinous. The genus Atherina is 

 represented by several species of small fishes. Silver-sides used to 

 be caught in New York Harbor, and sold for bait, under the 

 name of Anchovies and Sea-smelts. These small fishes were for- 

 merly supposed to be all included in the genus Atherina, but 

 Mr. Charles Girard, (see " United States Astronomical Expedi- 

 tion,") has, within a few years, proposed three additional genera, 

 of which several species are found in S. A. 



(12) Mugilidce, (Lat. mugil, a mullet.) 



The Mullets are lengthened, and often cylindrical in form, with 

 a somewhat projecting snout, and an extremely small mouth, 

 placed beneath. They inhabit both salt and fresh water; indeed, 

 a change from salt to fresh water seems necessary to them. A 

 number of species of the genus Mvgil are found in the United 

 States. The Common Mullet, M. albula, is throughout the 

 greater part of the year, taken- in large numbers on our Southern 

 coast. These fishes have not been considered carnivorous; but 

 the shells obtained from the stomach of one of them by Mr. 

 Thompson, of Belfast, (Ireland,) filled a large sized cup. They 

 swim in large shoals near the surface ; Gosse says that the Grey 

 Mullets, M\ capita, assemble to feed every evening at a certain 

 knocking, and are the only fish with which he is acquainted, 

 that select for food nothing that has life, except that they some- 

 times swallow the Sand-Worm. 



(13) The GoUda, GOBIES, and Blennida, BLENNIES, are, on 

 the Chart, included in one family, both having flexible and 

 slender-dorsal spinous rays. They have no swimming bladder. 

 Some of the Gobies proper, have no visible scales. This numer- 

 ous family of small unimportant fishes, have riot even beauty to 



