146 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL ANIMALS.—CLASS IV. PISCE 
so well known in all the lakes and rivers of this country. Graceful and 
quick in its movements, darting here and there in pursuit of its food, often- | 
times turning its sides of green and gold to the sun, and flashing its brilliant 
hues through the clear water, it offers a most interesting spectacle for observa- 
tion. ‘There is scarcely a boy in the land who is not familiar with Perch 
fishing ; and even now we remember the enjoyment, when a youth, we ex- 
perienced in this sport, and particularly with what pride we returned home 
2 ona 
from a successful expedition, bearing the trophies of our skill strung 
stick at our side. 
Besides the genus Perea, this division contains fourteen genera, among 
which is Labraw, the Bass (a marine fish), and Apogon, small fishes, of 
a red color, found in the Mediterranean. The King of Mullets, or Beard- 
less Mullet, belongs to this group. Some Perches of this division have two 
dorsal fins, like the last, but lone, pointed teeth. They are all small fishes 
peculiar to the warm regions of the east. 
In the second division, they have also the same gill-rays, but only one 
dorsal fin; and the genera are arranged according to the characters of the 
teeth — Merous, the Great Perch, Serranius, the S ra-perch, and lnthias, 
the Barber (a beautiful red fish of the Mediterranean, with metallic reflec- 
tion), are found here. There are several other genera inhabiting the waters 
of different parts of the world, most of them of extremely pleasing form 
and appearance. 
All the preceding Percidw have the ventrals placed immediately under 
the pectorals, but there are others which have them upon the throat. They 
comprehend several genera, the most remarkable of which are Trochinus, 
the Weevers, and Uranoscopus, the Star-gazers.. The Weevers have the 
head compressed, the eyes near each other, the mouth obliquely upwards, 
the first dorsal fin short, but with a formidable spine on the first ray. 
These fishes are small, but their powerful armor of strong, sharp spines 
renders them nearly invulnerable to the attacks of their foes. They conceal 
themselves in the mud, and inflict severe wounds, with their dorsal spines, 
which are very painful, though it does not appear that the spines contain 
any poisonous matter, as the fishermen believe. They are of a silvery 
color. 
The Star-gazers are so called, because the eyes are placed on the upper 
surface of the nearly-conical head, directed towards the heavens. They are 
cunning fishes, and catch their prey by concealing themselves in the mud, 
through which they protrude a narrow slip, with which the mouth is fur- 
nished behind the tongue, which attracts small fishes, and holds them fast. 
The third division of the Percide comprises those which have the ventral 
fins behind the pectoral. To this series belong the genera Sphyrena, the 
