FAMILY LAB YR INT H IFOR MIA. 



115 



ti small cluster of little islands, swimming near the surface about nine 

 leagues from shore. Of its habits nothing is known. 



CEPOLA Band-fish. This genus gets its name from the flesh separating 

 in flakes like an onion. 



The Rubescent Band-fish (C. Rubescens) is about two feet in length, 

 though not so thick as one's ringer, and of a reddish colour, and marked 

 with some transverse irregular bands ; the body is almost pellucid. It is a 

 native of the Mediterranean. 



Other genera of this family : 



BOGMARUS. Known to the Icelanders. GYMNETRUS. Found in the 

 Mediterranean. GYMNOGASTER. Closely allied to Bogmarus. LEPIDOPUS. 

 Found in the Mediterranean. REGALECUS. Allied to the Gymnetrus; known 

 to the Norwegians ; three species. XIPHOTHECA Scabbard-fish. Rare on 

 our coast. 



AMPHACANTHURUS. A genus of fishes so called because of the sharp, 

 moveable spine with which they are armed on each side of their tail, and 

 with which they defend themselves against the assaults of larger fishes. If 

 taken in the hand incautiously serious injuries may be the result. They are 

 termed Doctors by English sailors, because of their strong and lancet- 

 shaped spines. The teeth are trenchant and notched. 



The illustrated species, A. Guttatus, is remarkable for the beautiful variety 

 of its colours. They are found in the warm parts of both oceans. 



Other genera of this family : 



PRIODON. One species known (P. Annulatis), two and a half inches 

 long ; teeth sharp and serrated ; three short rays to the ventral fins. From 

 Timor. 



PRIONURUS. Nearly allied to the genus Acanthurus ; teeth cutting and 

 jagged on their edge like a saw ; tail armed with rows of tooth-like 

 [dates. 



ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES. 



PLATE 4. 



family LABYRINTHIFORMIA. 



The upper membranes of the pharynx in the members of this family are 

 divided into leaves, small and irregular; between these there are cells 

 which the animals can fill and empty at pleasure. When out of the water, 

 th.-y moisten their gills with the water contained in those cavities. 



Genera. Species. Common Name. 



Anabas - ... Testtidineus - - - - Climbing Perch. 

 Ophicephalus - - Punctatus .... Dotted Snake-head. 



Family MULLETS ; Mugiloida. 



Mugil .... Cephalus Mullet. 



The Mullets are gregarious Fishes ; at the mouths of rivers they may be 

 seen in large troops. Their flesh is much esteemed. 



Family GOBIES ; Gobioida. 



The Goby family live in small troops among rocks near the coast ; they 

 can exist for some time out of the water ; many of them are viviparous. 



Blennius .... Ocellaris Butterfly-fish. 



Anarrhicus - - - Lupus Wolf-fish. 



Gobius .... Niger Black Goby. 



CHARACTERS OF THE GENERA. 



1. ANABAS (Gr. avaftaivu, to ascend). Head broad ; muzzle obtuse ; 

 mouth small; lateral line interrupted at its posterior third; gill-covers 

 denticulated ; dorsal and anal fins having numerous spiny rays ; body covered 

 with scales. 



2. OPHICEPHALUS (Gr. o^ic, a snake, and ^n\ f ), a head). Head and 

 body covered with large polygonal scales; head depressed, obtuse, and 

 short in front, the vertex covered with irregular scales ; mouth wide ; teeth 

 rasp-like, and in a single row, with a few large and hooked ones scattered 

 on the sides ; gill-flaps smooth ; dorsal fin single and very long ; ventral 

 below the pectoral fins. 



1 . MUGIL. Head flat, broad, depressed, covered with scales ; lips fleshy 

 and indented, the middle of the lower jaw forming a projecting angle, which 

 is received into a depression within the upper ; mouth toothless, except on 

 the edges of the tongue ; gill-flaps large ; body nearly cylindrical ; dorsal 

 fins short, the first opposite the anal ; pectorals not elongated ; branchial 

 membrane three-rayed. 



1. BLENNIUS (Gr. jSXfxro, mucus or slime). Ventral fins before pectoral, 

 and composed generally of not less than two nor more than four rays ; 

 anal tubercle. 



2. ANARRHICAS. General characters same as those of the Blenny, but 

 without ventral fins. 



3. GOBIUS (Gr. Kiafttog, a Gudgeon). Ventral fins thoracic, united either 

 throughout their whole length or at their root, forming a disc or sucker ; 

 spines of the dorsal fin flexible ; body rather long ; branchial opening 

 narrow, and furnished with four rays : a little appendage behind the anus of 

 the male. 



LABYRINTHIFORMIA, MUGILOIDA, GOBIOIDA. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES. 



ANABAS. So named by Cuvier because of their remarkable power of 

 living for a considerable time out of the water. These fishes are covered 

 with large scales, and by means of 

 their fins, tail, and gill-covers, get 

 upon land, and travel over a con- 

 siderable space of ground; and one 

 species, A. Scandens, or A. Testudi- 

 neus (Plate 4), known at Tranque- 

 bar as the " Tree-climber," ascends 

 palm and other trees. Their gills 

 are adapted for retaining water, the 

 pharyngeal apparatus being laby- 

 rinthiform, or divided into a number 

 of irregular lamina?, which form cavities for the retention of water, the 

 evaporation of which proceeds but slowly. They are natives of India and 

 the Indian Archipelago. 



OPHICEPHALUS. The disposition of the scales on the head of this genus 

 resembling that of Snakes, lias given rise to its name. It contains but two 

 species the 0. Striattts, which sometimes attains the length of four feet, 

 and the 0. Punctatus (Plate 4), which measures from seven to eleven 

 inches ; its general colour dingy-white, studded with numerous black spots ; 

 the fins also tipped with black. From the rivers of the Indian Isles. 



Other genera of this family: Polyacanthus, Many-spined; Spirobranchus, 

 Spiral-gills; Trichonotus, Hairy-backed; and Trichopus, Hairy-footed. 



MUGIL Mullet. There are seven species of this genus. The one figured 

 is the Common Mullet (M. Cephalus), which sometimes acquires ten or 

 twelve pounds in weight ; the back brownish or bluish-black, the belly 

 silvery, and striped longitudinally with eight narrow dusky streaks. It is 

 very common in the Mediterranean and on the western coasts of the Atlantic, 

 but rare in the British Channel. 



Another genus of this family is Tetragonurus, a fish thirteen inches long, 

 and found off 1 the coast of Nice. 



Respiratory Organs of Anabas. 



BLENNIUS Blenny. This genus is remarkable for a viscid mucus, with 

 which it is covered, and whence it has derived its name. The body is 

 lengthened and compressed : there is generally but one dorsal fin, and both 

 dorsal and ventral are made up of six slender rays. They live in shoals 

 amongst the pebbles on the shore, swimming and leaping about. They are 

 veiy tenacious of life for a long while after having been taken out of the 

 water. The species, which are numerous, have been divided by Cuvier 

 into five subgenera, viz., Blennius proprius, Salarias, Clinus, Gunnellus, and 

 Opistognathus, principally from the arrangement of their teeth. 



The Butterfly Fish (B. Ocellaris) is about six or eight inches long ; 

 head large ; mouth wide and jaws furnished with a single row of straight 



