236 



THE CAPEUNA 



The colouring of the Banded Mullet is bold and striking. The general tint of the 

 body is a glowing rose, and a series of broad dark bands are drawn along the body, 

 four or five on each side, and one on the back. At the base of the tail fin is a large 

 round black spot, and a black band runs across the root of the second dorsal and 

 anal fins. 



THE next family, termed the Pristipomidae, after the typical genus, forms a large 

 and somewhat important group of fishes. They are all carnivorous, i.e. they feed upon 

 fish in preference to other diet ; they have no molar or cutting teeth, and all inhabit 

 the waters of the warm and temperate regions of the globe. The greater number of the 

 species are marine, but a few are found in the rivers. 



As an example of the typical genus, we will take the KAKAAN (Pristipoma hasta), 

 a species found in the " Red Sea, along the east coast of Africa, through all the Indian 

 seas to Hie northern shores of Australia." 



In this prettily marked species, the dorsal fins are separated by a notch, rather 

 variable in depth, and the fourth dorsal spine is much elongated, being indeed equal 

 to half the length of the head. The second spine of the anal fin is also long and sharp. 

 The colouring of the Kakaan is seldom precisely the same in any two individuals, but 

 the body is always covered with a great number of brown spots, arranged with some 

 degree of regularity. Sometimes these spots fall into horizontal lines, so as to look at a 

 little distance like a series of brown bars drawn along the body, while in other specimens 

 the spots are gathered into vertical bands. There are also several series of circular brown 

 soots on both the dorsal fins. 



V, 



CAPEUNA. Hc&mulon qvadrttineatu'ni.. 



The CAPEUNA, or FOUR-STREAKED RED-THROAT, is a remarkably pretty fish, and a 

 good example of the genus to which it belongs. 



The generic title of Hajmulon is given to these fishes on account of the bright ruddy 

 colour of that part of the lower jaw which is concealed when the jaws are shut The 

 French call this genus Rougegueule. The profile of their rather elongated head is thought 

 to bear some resemblance to that of a pig. The Capeuna is most beautifully coloured, 

 as will be seen when the description is compared with the figure. The spines of the 

 dorsal fins are tolerably firm, but cannot be termed strong or formidable, and the same 

 may be said of the lengthened second spine of the anal fin. The eye is large and full, 

 and the tail is deeply forked. A rich brown band runs along the whole of the body just 

 above the dorsal line, and a corresponding band is drawn immediately below it. Between 

 the upper band and the spinous portion of the dorsal fin, a short brown streak is drawn, 



