MAIGRE. 91 



eminently qualified by his great talents and acquirements, 

 his excellent memory, and the extensive materials by which 

 he was surrounded, forms one of the most valuable features 

 of all that part of the work on fishes he was spared to 

 accomplish. It may be sufficient here to state, that, in the 

 Histoire Naturelle des Poissons, the three best known spe- 

 cies of the Mediterranean Sea have been considered the types 

 of three genera, two of which will belong to British Fishes. 



The name of Scieena, as a generic term, has been given 

 to those species which exhibit the peculiarities included in 

 the generic characters, of which Scieena aquila, the Maigre 

 of the French, forms the type, or most characteristic example. 



This fish, the largest and the most remarkable, is also 

 the most common in certain localities ; and is celebrated for 

 the goodness of its flesh. Salvianus has correctly described 

 it under the name of Umbrina, but considered it the Maigre 

 of the French. Rondeletius calls it Pets Rei (Royal Fish). 

 It appears always to have been in great request with epi- 

 cures ; and, as on account of its large size it was always sold 

 in pieces, the fishermen of Rome were in the habit of pre- 

 senting the head, which was considered the finest part, as 

 a sort of tribute to the three local magistrates who acted 

 for the time as conservators of the city. 



Paulus Jovius relates a curious history of a head of one 

 of these fishes, presented, as usual, to the conservators in 

 the reign of Pope Sextus X. ; given by them to the Pope's 

 nephew ; by him to one of the Cardinals ; from whom it 

 passed as a noble donation to his banker, to whom he was 

 deeply indebted ; and from the banker to his courtesan. 

 It was followed through all its migrations by a parasite, 

 whose industry was rewarded by at length partaking in the 

 feast. This story forms much of the underplot of Beau- 

 mont and Fletcher's " Woman-Hater ;" where, as the con- 



