CLASS V. PISCES: ORDER 3. TELEOSTEA. 



441 



taken with hook and line in deep water on our coasts ; is sliy and wary, and battles bravely 



when cauirht. It is sometimes taken 





i^^ 



THE SEA-BREAM. 



THE BLACK BREAM. 



with the line in the shallow bays of Long 

 Island. Its flesh is in the very first rank 

 with epicures. Its range is from Cape 

 Cod to the Mississippi. 



The Sand I'orgee, S. arenosus, six 

 inches long, is palatable food ; caught 

 in seines on the south side of Lono- Island 

 Sound. 



The Rhomboidal Porgee, S. rhorn- 

 boides, is three to five inches long, and is 

 common on our southern coast. 



THE CH^TODONTID^. 



This is a very numerous family, the 

 species being generally of small size ; the 

 form is exceedingly compressed, the body 

 wide and short, resembling that of the flat- 

 fishes, though they swim upright in the 

 water ; the eyes are placed on each side of 

 the head, and both sides of the body are 

 similarly colored. The mouth is usually 

 small and furnished with bristle-like teeth. 

 They are generally delicate and well flavored, and are noted for the brilliancy of their coloring. 



Genus BRAMA : Brarna. — This includes the Ray's Bream, B. Rait, from one foot to two feet 

 six inches long ; common in the Mediterranean, and occasionally found in the British seas. Its 

 flesh is highly esteemed. It is the only European species. 



Genus CH^TODON : Choetodon. — This includes the Wandering Ch^todon, C.vagahundus^ 



twelve inches long, body of a pale 

 yellow color, with numerous oblique, 

 brownish-purple lines. Inhabits the 

 coasts of Ceylon. 



Genus Chelmon : Chelnion. — To 

 this belongs the Fly-Shooter, C. ros- 

 iratus, inhabiting the fresh waters of 

 India and the Asiatic Islands. It feeds 

 upon insects, and is remarkable for its 

 mode of procuring them. When it 

 observes a fly, or any other insect on 

 a weed, or hovering over the water, 

 it ejects a little drop through its tu- 

 bular snout Avith such precision as 

 frequently to disable the little animal, 

 so that it falls into the water and is 

 devoured. In countries where this 

 fish abounds, it is frequently kept in 

 vessels of water, and affords much 

 entertainment by the dexterity dis- 

 played in shooting at the flies, which 

 are placed on the vessel for the purpose ; it generally approaches to within five or six inches 

 before the drop of water is ejected. A Javanese species, the Toxotes jaculator, exhibits the same 

 Vol. II. — 56 



THE WANDERING CH^TODON. 



