THE JOHN DORY FAMILY 



This family is rather closely allied to that of the horse- 

 mackerels. Its chief characteristics are that the body is high 

 and narrow from side to side ; that the front dorsal fin consists 

 of a few strong spines which are elongated ; that the second 

 dorsal is not completely separate, and like the ventral is 

 rounded behind. The mouth is constructed in a curious way 

 so that when it is opened the upper jaw is thrust far forward, 

 and the whole mouth forms a kind of long tube. The tail is 

 rounded at its hinder edge, while in the horse-mackerels it is 

 more or less forked. 



The fishes of this family inhabit the seas of the temperate 

 regions. They are slow swimmers, and feed chiefly on smaller 

 fish. So far as known their eggs are buoyant. Two species are 

 common in British w^aters : — ■ 



1. The Boar-fish or Cuckoo.— Orange-red in colour; scales 

 small but with spines making the skin very rough. Mem- 

 brane of the first dorsal not produced into filaments. 



2. The John Dory. — Scales small, and not spiny ; skin 

 smooth. Membrane of the first dorsal prolonged into 

 filaments. Colour olive or brownish with yellow bands ; 

 in the centre of each side a round black spot surrounded 

 by a yellow ring. 



The Boar-fish, or Cuckoo {Capros aper). 



DistinzuisJiinz Characters. — Besides those abo\-e mentioned, 

 the teeth in the jaws are minute ; there is a row of small spines 

 on the gill-cover ; there is a roughened bony ridge along the 

 bases of the second dorsal and ventral fins, but no spines. The 



