106 VERTEBRATA. - PISCES. 



or plates ; the dorsal extends over the whole body ; 

 the anal is close to the tail ; teeth cutting and 

 pointed ; gill rays eight. The Garter, or Scabbard 

 fish, (L. Argyreus*) inhabits the Atlantic from our 

 own shores to the Cape of Good Hope ; it is six 

 feet long, of a bright smooth silvery hue, and appa- 

 rently without scales. The flesh is sometimes eaten. 



FAM. IX. - THEUTID^). 



A few foreign genera are contained in this family, 

 of which little is known : they shew a relation to 

 the Mackarels in some particulars, as the ridge on 

 the tail, &c. They have a single dorsal ; teeth, on 

 the jaws only, trenchant ; mouth not protractile ; 

 body flattened sidewise. They feed chiefly on sea- 

 weeds. The genus Siganus\ is remarkable for a 

 spinous ray on each side of the ventrals, a thing un- 

 exampled elsewhere. Acantliurus\ has the tail fur- 

 nished with moveable spines resembling lancets on 

 each side, which inflict severe wounds. 



FAM. X. - ANABANTID^. 



The bones of the pharynx, or throat, are here 

 divided into a great number of small and thin plates 

 of irregular form, forming small cells, in which they 



j argyros, silver. 

 A native name. 



akantha, a thorn, and awga, oura, the tail. 

 , anabaino, to ascend. 



