«:i5 



SPANISH BllEAM. 



Axillary Bream, Yarrell; Br. Fishes, vol. i., p. 122. 



Pagellus Owe/iii, Guntheb's Catalogue of tUe Br. Museum, 



vol. i., p. 478. 



This Is one of tlie fishes on the synonyms of which doubt is 

 thrown by Dr. Gunther, as quoted above; and on which there- 

 fore, in conformity with a rule ah'cady laid down, wc must be 

 contented to make our remarks without reference to other authors; 

 but it is the best known to Cornish fishermen of all the species 

 of Sea Breams that wander to our shores only on unusual occa- 

 sions; and with them it bears the name of Spanish Bream: that 

 name not being applied, as ]Mr. Yarrell seems to have understood, 

 to the Erythrinus, which was the subject of our last article; 

 unless indeed it may have so happened by their confounding 

 one with the other. 



We only meet with single examples of this fish; which are 

 usually caught with a common baited hook among other Sea 

 Breams, in the summer and autumn. As, however, this fish 

 bears some near resemblance to the fish next to be described, 

 a close description will be best made by a comparison of one 

 with the other. 



The weight scarcely exceeds two thirds of that of the Common 

 Bream; the body rather more slender, head fiatter on the top, 

 eye smaller and more oval. Before the eye the snout more 

 protruded, gape wider; the grinding teeth broader and more 

 blunt. Scarcely a depression before the eyes to receive the 

 nasal orifices; while in the common species they arc conspicuous. 

 Dorsal fin more elevated, the anal wider. The pectoral fin 

 reaches opposite the vent, but in the Common ]3ream to the 

 third ray of the anal fin. As we only meet with it in its lull 

 VOL. I. -' L 



