116 



CLASS P I S C E S. 



ORDER AC ANT H OPT ERYG I A. 



serrated teeth ; eyes prominent, and above both a small process resembling 

 a little ear ; the operculum is composed of a single piece ; the dorsal fin 

 extends almost to the tail ; the body has no scales ; general colour greenish 

 with irregular transverse bands of a dark olive ; the dorsal fin also green 

 with dusky blue and white spots, and from the fifth to the eighth ray of 

 the same is a beautiful spot like an eye, black in the centre with a white 

 margin, from which circumstance Ray named it Butterfly Fish. It inhabits 

 the Mediterranean. 



ANARRHICAS. This genus is nearly allied to the Blennies ; the species 

 have round, smooth, blunt heads ; and their mouth is armed with conical 

 incisors and flat grinders. 



The Wolf Fish (A. Lupus), called also Cat Fish, and Sea Cat, is a fero- 

 cious and formidable animal ; it measures six feet in length, feeds on Crus- 

 tacea and Mollusca, and is good eating ; it is of a light grey colour, marked 

 with vertical bands of a bluish-grey. It frequently destroys the fishermen's 

 nets, and when caught, defends itself with zeal to the last; and if the utmost 

 care is not observed, it will inflict serious wounds on its captors by its 

 powerful teeth and jaws. 



GOBIUS Goby. The fishes belonging to this genus are mostly of small 

 size, with a lengthened body, the head moderately large, the cheeks promi- 

 nent, and the eyes nearly approached to each other. 



The Black Goby (G. Niger) is of slender form, and about six inches in 

 length ; the head large, and jaws armed with a double row of small teeth ; 

 colour deep olive, with darker streaks and spotted with black ; ventral fins 

 united, and forming a kind of funnel by which they fix themselves to the 

 rock, whence the name of Rockfish. They are found in the Atlantic, on the 

 British coasts, and the Asiatic seas. 



Other genera of this family : 



CALLIONYMUS Draganet. Destitute of an air-bladder; head much larger 

 than the body ; the principal species ( Yellow Gurnard) is from ten to twelve 

 inches long. 



PERIOPHTHALMUS. Lower lid of eye moveable; from eight to twelve 

 inches long. 



SALARIAS. Distinguished from the Blennies by their very small, fine 

 teeth : three species are named. 



SICTDION. Approximates to the family Gobius. 



ZOARCHUS. Nearly allied to the Blennies. 



ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES. 



PLATE 5. 



Family ANGLERS; Pectoralipeda. 



The family Pectoralipeda consists of two genera remarkable for the 

 peculiar structure of their fins, by which they are able to leap out of the 

 water when in pursuit of their prey ; some of them also leap over mud 

 like frogs. 



Specie*. Common Nirne. 



Lophius - ... Piscatorias ... - Common Angler. 

 Batrachus ... Surinamensis ... Surinam Toad-fish. 



Family WRASSES; Labroida. 



The family Labroida are characterised by their thick lips, oblong scaly 

 body, and thickly-set gills. 



Labrus .... Carneus Red Wrasse. 



Scaruf - ... Creticus ----- Cretan Scarus. 



Family PIPE-FISH ; Avlostomata. 



A long tube projects from the cranium of the Pipe-fish family, which 

 consists of two genera. 



Fistularia ... Tabacaria .... Tobacco-pipe Fish. 

 Centriscus ... Scolopai ..... Sea Woodcock. 



CHARACTERS OF THE GENERA. 



1. LOPHTOS (Gr. Xo^ia, a neck provided with bristles erect like a cock's- 

 comb). See Description of the Species. 



2. BATRACHUS (Gr. ftarpa\ot, a Frog). Head flattened horizontally, 



larger than the body ; ventral fins straight attached under the throat ; first 

 dorsal fin short, supported by three spinous rays ; second dorsal long and 

 soft, opposite to which the anal fin, also soft ; mouth and gills very large ; 

 gill-flaps spined ; lips sometimes bearded. 



1. LABRUS (Lat labrum, a lip). Form oblong; lips fleshy, double, one 

 of them attached to the jaws, the other to the sub-orbital bones ; gills five- 

 rayed, serrated ; maxillary teeth conical, the middle and anterior longest ; 

 pharyngeal teeth cylindrical and blunt, disposed on two broad plates above 

 and one below ; pores on me head in many instances ; the tail round or 

 forked. 



2. SCARUS (Gr. trKalpm, I leap). Jaws composed of the intermaxillary 

 and preemandibular bones, convex, rounded, and furnished with teeth, dis- 

 posed like scales on their edge and anterior surface, and moving in succes- 

 sion from behind forwards ; pharyngeal teeth disposed on two plates in the 

 upper, and on one in the lower jaw, in some species merely transverse 

 laminae, in others pavementhlike ; lips fleshy ; body covered with large scales; 

 lateral line uninterrupted. 



1. FISTULARIA. Head long and projecting like a tube, forming a third 

 or fourth of the whole length of the body ; the jaws placed at its tip ; opening 

 of the mouth narrow, and nearly horizontal ; body very long and slender ; 

 six or seven rays to the gills ; bony appendages extending backwards from 

 the head on to the body ; dorsal fin opposite the anal. 



2. CENTRISCUS (Gr. Ktrrpov, a prickle). Muzzle tubular; body oval or 

 oblong, compressed laterally and sharp below ; gills composed of two or 

 three small rays ; first dorsal fin spiny ; ventral small and behind the pec- 

 toral ; mouth very small, placed obliquely and wanting teeth. 



PECTORALIPEDA, LABROIDA, AULOSTOMATA. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES. 



LOPHIUS Angler. The Common Angler (L. Piscatorius) is from four to 

 five feet in length, and having some resemblance in shape to a paper kite ; 

 the larger part being formed by the head and the bones supporting the pec- 

 toral fins, behind which the body tapers towards the tail ; it has a very 

 hideous aspect, its wide mouth opening upwards, and closely beset with 

 strong teeth ; immediately behind the head stand out laterally the broad, 

 expanded, pectoral fins, which are very remarkable on account of their moving 

 upon two bones, which have a very close resemblance to the fore arm of the 

 higher classes of the Vertebrata ; the ventral fins are placed beneath the throat, 

 are strong, and serve the purpose of trailing the fish along the bottom of the 

 sea ; the long spines upon the top of the head and front of the back are 

 believed to serve the purpose of snares, or rather baits, to assist the fish in 

 obtaining its prey ; the four hindmost of these, which have some little mem- 

 branous expansion at their root, are considered by Cuvier as answering to 

 the first dorsal fin. The external opening of the gills is single, and of a 

 semilunar shape, and placed beneath the root of the pectoral fins. Within 

 the mouth, near the gills, on each side, is a large cavity resembling the cheek 

 pouches of several of the Mammalia, and formed by the skin passing loosely 

 from the bony apparatus of the head and tongue to the arm-like piece of the 

 pectoral fins ; in these cavities, not unfrcquently, are found dog-fish or had- 

 docks, which, the Angler's appetite having been appeased, it stores up to 

 satisfy its future craving. 



As the Angler, from his unwieldiness, is not a good swimmer, and there- 

 fore is unable to overtake its agile prey, it has recourse to stratagem : hiding 

 itself in the sand or mud among the marine plants, with its enormous mouth 

 widely extended, it moves about the long spines on its head and back, which 

 attract to the spot other fish in search of food, and these, when within its 

 reach, are snapped up by the Angler, whose mouth serves it instead of a 

 casting-net. 



The Angler was known to the ancients ; Aristotle speaks of it by the 

 name fifirpa\oi; the Latins called it liana Marina. 



BATRACHUS Frog Fish. This genus is named from the immense size 

 of the head, resembling that of the Frog. The species of which it is com- 

 posed inhabit the southern hemisphere, and lie in ambush in the sand tor 



