22^ ISLES or srMMEft. 



its beauty elicits. Colored plates are necessary to giye any ade- 

 quate idea of the Avcalth of coloring witli Avhicli it is endowed, 

 The body is short and high. The dorsal and anal fins are very 

 large, protruding at the anterior parts, and thick at the base and 

 corners with scales, so that they seem to be a continuation of the 

 body. The scales are large and delicate, of a brown color, with 

 a shade of olive green, and each of them is edged with a lighter 

 tint. The chin, nape, upper eyelid, base of the pectoral and 

 neutral fins, and the margin of the dorsal and anal fins are a 

 bright cobalt blue, with lines of the same color extending over 

 the operculum. The caudal fin, and the continuation or aj^pend- 

 age of the longest spines of the dorsal and anal fins are bright 

 yellow. The motions of this, as of all the other angel fish, are 

 slow, and it is usually to be seen about the docks, reefs, and old 

 wrecks. Its flesh is not much prized. 



The Black Angel fisJi is of a much larger size than the preced- 

 ing, and is of an uniform black color. The inner surfaces of the 

 pectoral fins and the margin of the tail are of a bright yellow. 



The Spanish Angel fish is one of the most beautiful of fishes. 

 The anterior part of the body is a jet black, while the posterior 

 and tail are a light yelloAV. The edges of the gills, and margin 

 of the tail are a salmon red. color. It is seldom over five inches 

 in length, and is caught in nets and traps, its mouth being too 

 small and delicate for the hook. 



Catesby truthfully says, that this fish is ''gorgeous, and may 

 be called the butterfly of the sea, it is so beautiful." 



The Moon or C resent Angel fish has a body much compressed 

 and elevated. It has six dark vertical bands. The third dorsal 

 spine is elongated, and tlie anterior portion of the dorsal and anal 

 fins are protruding. The four cresent-shaped marks on the body 

 are of a bright yellow, the margin of the tail is edged with the 

 game tint. It sometimes is found eighteen inches long. 



