158 



StOMBERID.E. 



ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



SCOMBERID&. 



THE BLACKFISH. 



Centrolophus pompihts, Cuv. et VALENC. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. t. ix. p. 334. 



,, ninrii>, ,, ,, ,, t. ix. p. 342. 



Holecentrus niger, LACEPKDE, t. iv. p. 441. 



Central ffphus niger, ,, t. ix. p. 347, 8vo. edit. Paris, 1831. 



,, ,, Black Perch, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 351. 



,, Blackfish, COUCH, MS. 



Generic Characters. Body covered with minute scales ; one dorsal fin elon- 

 gated, the rays short ; teeth very small, numerous ; branchiostegous rays 5. 



LACEPEDE, when describing this rare fish, considered it 

 unknown to naturalists, and that its singular form required 

 generic distinction. Mr. Couch has had the good fortune 

 to see two specimens of it, and I avail myself of his kind 

 permission to give his account in full. 



" The specimen described was fifteen inches long ; blunt 

 and rounded over the snout, flattened on the crown ; mouth 

 small ; tongue rather large ; teeth in the jaws fine ; nostrils 

 double, that nearest the eye large and open ; eye prominent 

 and bright ; five gill-rays : though soft, the membrane of the 

 preoperculum had a free edge, somewhat incised. Body 

 compressed, about three inches deep ; a thin elevated ridge, 



