GENERA AND SPECIES. 139 



corslet, and no other scales. The lower jaw projects, and on the 

 jaws is a single row of teeth. In colour the Bonito is bluish above, 

 silvery below, and is striped as above stated, the stripes being dark- 

 blue . The few British examples have been from 2 to nearly 3 

 feet long. 



Tinea. Plate xxiii. CYPRINID^E. 



179. vulgaris, TENCH. Scales small ; skin thick and slimy. 



The Tench has 12 or 13 rays in its dorsal, 9 or 10 in its anal, 17 

 in its caudal, 17 in its pectorals, and 9 or 10 in its ventrals. The 

 pectorals, ventrals, anal, and caudal are at equal intervals ; the dorsal 

 is a little behind the ventrals, and half-way between the snout and 

 the base of the caudal. The lateral line curves downwards from 

 above the gill-cover, and has from go to 115 scales. The scales are 

 small and embedded in the skin, which is covered with mucus. The 

 fins are blackish, the body is generally blackish green or grey, but in 

 one variety it is yellow, and in another it is spotted. The length, 

 as a rule, reaches 18 inches, but one of 33 inches is on record. The 

 Tench feeds on weeds, worms, and insects, and thrives where 

 weeds are plentiful, preferably in still v/aters and sluggish rivers that 

 are not particularly clean. As a rule it swims near the bottom, but 

 in summer it rises to the surface and shelters among the weeds. In 

 winter it buries itself in the mud like the Carp 



Torpedo. Plate xxxiii. TORPEDINID&. 



248. nobiliana, TORPEDO. Greyish, with or without a few blotches. 



249. mannomta, MARBLED TORPEDO. Mottled or spotted 



The Torpedo has the front edge of the disk straight, and the 

 wings almost semi-circular. The two dorsals are close together, the 

 first being as large again as the second ; they are placed above the 

 tip of the ventrals, and not on the tail ; the caudal is almost as large 

 as the ventrals put together. The skin is smooth, there being neither 

 spines nor tubercles. The mouth is arched. The colour is gener- 

 ally plain purplish grey, but it varies, and occasionally is faintly 

 blotched. The length reaches 4 feet. It is a coast fish, living in 

 sandy and muddy localities. The electrical organ is between the 

 head and the pectorals. 



The Marbled Torpedo seems to be only a variety of smaller size 

 and with rather larger veutrals. The few British examples have not 

 exceeded 10 inches in length. It varies much in colour, but is 

 invariably mottled or marbled and spotted. 



Trachinus. Plate vii. TRACHINID&. 



45. draco, GREATER WEEVER. Two spines over the eye. 



46. vipera, VIPER WEEVER. No spines over the eye. 



The Greater Weever, otherwise the Spitalfields Weaver, from, 

 its being sold to the foreign Jews in Whitechapel, has 5 or 6 spines- 

 in its first dorsal, 29 to 31 rays in its second dorsal, 31 in its anal, 12- 

 in its caudal, 16 in its pectorals, and a spine and 5 rays in its ven- 



