288 



Div. 1. VERTEBRATE ANIMALS.— PISCES. 



Class 4. 



Pilot-fish of the Mediterranean is not above a foot long ; but it is swift and voracious, and follows in the wake of 

 ships along' with the Shark, which it has been erroneously supposed to lead, and hence its name of Ductor. A 

 black species of the South American coasts has been found eight or nine feet long. 



Eclacates, form and dorsal spines like the last, but the head flattened, and the keel and anal spines wanting. 



Lichia, has dorsal and anal spines on the back, one of the former lying flat and directed forwards, but the body 

 is compressed, and no keels on the tail. There are several species in the Mediterranean, all eatable, and some of 

 large size. Trachinotus merely has the body a little more elevated, and the dorsal and anal longer and more 

 pointed. 



Rhynchohdella. Spines as in the former genus, long body, and no ventrals. The subgenera are, — 

 Macrognathus : has a pointed, cartilaginous muzzle, projecting beyond the lower jaw, and the dorsal and anal 

 separate from the caudal. Mestacembelus : jaws equal, and dorsal and anal joined to the caudal. Uoth inhabit 

 the fresh waters of Asia, and feed on worms, in search of which they plough up the sand with their cartilaginous 

 noses : their flesh is much esteemed. 



This is the place for the imperfectly known genus Nofacanfkus, which has the muzzle of the last, 

 free spines for a dorsal, ventrals abdominal, a long anal reaching to the top of the tail, and joining a 

 very small caudal. The known species inhabit the Arctic Ocean, and have been found two feet and a 

 half long. 



Seriola. This genus resembles Lichia, has a horizontal spine before the dorsal, but the dorsal spines united by 

 a fin, a small fin with two spines before the anal, and no keel on the lateral line. One species is the Milk-lith of 

 Pondicherry, so much esteemed for the delicacy of its flesh. There are several other species in both oceans. 



Nomeus, resemble the last, but have large ventrals attached to the abdomen by their inner edge ; colour, 

 silvery, with transverse black bands on the upper part. Has been confounded with the Gobies. 



Temnodon : tail unarmed, spines or small fins before the anal, first dorsal sii.all, second and anal small, 

 scales, one row of trenchant teeth in each jaw, with small crowded ones behind, and on the vomer, the parietals, 

 and tongue; seven rays on the gills, and the gill-lid forked. There are species common to both oceans, and about 

 the size of the common Mackerel. 



Caranx, have the lateral line with sccly p'»isB, keeled, and often spinous, horizontal spine before the first of the 

 two dorsals, last rays of the second lorsal often detached, some spines or a small fin before the anal. Several 

 species in the European seas, a-ad generally over the globe. Resemble Mackerel, and are called liaslard 

 Mackerel. [On the British sUoreJ they are designated Scad or Horse Mackerel, and they sometimes make their 

 appearance in immense shoals, literally " banking the sea," especially along the Cornish coasts, and shores of the 

 Bristol Channel. They feed on the fry of Herrings, and are not in much estimation as food.] 



Vomer. This genus have the body more and more compressed and elevated in the ditlerent sub- 

 genera, while the armature on the lateral line diminishes, and the skin becomes smooth like satin, 

 without any apparent scales. They have no teeth, except short and fine ones crowded together ; and 

 the subgenera are chiefly distinguished from each other l)y various filamentary prolongations of some 

 of tlie fins. Liunasus and Bloch included them, but improperly, in the genus Zeus (Dory). The fol- 

 lowing are the subgenera : — 



OUstus. These resemble St(iil<e, a subgenus of Caranx, but tlie middle rays of the second dorsal are not 

 branched, but merely articulated, and extend in long filaments. 



Sri/ris. Nearly the same in form and filaments, 

 b it the spines of the fir t dorsal hidden in the edge 

 of the secon<l, and the ventrals short. 



BU'iiharis, lias long filaments to the second dorsal 

 and anal, tlic ventrals very long, and the sjiine 

 scarcely above the skin ; their body is very elevated, 

 but tlicir profile not so vertical as that of some of 

 the other subgenera found in the warm seas; and in 

 the West Indies one species is called the "Cobbler." 

 Callus, similar to the last in all respects except 

 having the profile more vertical. Ari/j/reioxi/x, has 

 the profile still more vertical, the first dorsal defi- 

 nitely formed, and some of its rays extended in 

 filaments, as well as those of the second dorsal ; the 

 ventrals are also very long. 



Vomer, properly so called, has the body com- 

 pressed, and the profile vertical, as in the two sub- 

 genera imniediatily preceding it, but none of the 

 fins are extended into filaments. 



Zeus. After removing the analogous sub- 

 genera of Vomer, this genus com|)rehcnds 



'■i*!- 130 — 13k|jliana. 



