ACANTHOPTERYGII. 29i 



THE FIRST FAMILY OF THE ACANTHOPTERYGII. 

 Percid^ (the Perch Family). 



These fishes have the body oblong, covered with hard or rough scales, with the gill-lid or gill-flap, or 

 often both, toothed or spinous in the margins. The species are very numerous in the waters of all 

 warm countries ; their flesh is in general agreeable and wholesome ; they are mostly thoracic, or have 

 the ventral fins under the pectoral, and they are subdivided according to the number of gill ravs. 

 The first division have seven rays in the gills, two dorsal fins, and all their teeth are velvety. 

 [Cuvier makes use of this expression as descriptive of very minute teeth, set closely together 

 in nimierous rows, and thus resembling the pile of velvet in arrangement though not in textm-e.] 



This division comprises various species, of which the following are the principal genera: — 

 Perca, including- the Common Perch of Europe, and various other species of North America and other places ; 

 Labrax, the Basse, a marine genus, of wbich species are found both in Europe and in America ; Lates, the Perch 

 of the Nile, of which there are also species in the Indian rivers ; Centropomus, the Sea Pike, which has the oper- 

 culum obtuse and without spines ; Grammistis, an Indian g-enus, with white longitudinal stripes, and a black 

 ground ; Arpro, the River Perch, found chiefly in the Rhine ; Zingel, a peculiar Perch of the Danube, with thirteen 

 spines in the first dorsal. 



This subdivision also comprehends some fishes of foreign countries, whose peculiarities cause several subgenera. 

 These are, Huro, like a true Perch, only the pre-operculum is not toothed ; Etelis, with hooked teeth in the jaws, 

 but not in the palate ; Niphon, with strong spines on the pre-operculum and operculum ; Enoplosus, like a Perch, 

 but with body much compressed, two high dorsals, and the pre-operculum deeply toothed ; Diplorion, compressed, 

 double-toothed border to the pre-operculum, and two spines on the gill-lid. Other species of this subdivision are 

 Apoffon, small fishes, of a red colour, with two dorsals far apart, and large scales, easily separated. One of them, 

 the King of the Mullets, or Beardless Mullet, is found in the Mediterranean ; Cheiludipterus, resembling the former 

 but with long teeth in the jaws ; and Pomatomus, a very rare genus, of small size, with immense eyes, and 

 exceedingly small teeth, velvety in their arrangement. 



A second subdivision have two dorsal fins, but long and pointed teeth, mingled with a velvety 

 arrangement. 



Of these the principal genera are Ambassis, with the dorsals near each other, and a spine in front of the former ; 

 they are small fishes of the warm regions of the East, abundant in pools and rivulets, and sometimes prepared as 

 Anchovies ; and Liicio-perca, the Perch-Pike, with long teeth on the ma.xillaries, and and also in the palate, found 

 in Eastern Europe. 



The second division of the Perches have seven rays in the gills, but only one dorsal fin ; the genera 

 are arranged by the characters of their teeth, and the leading ones are these : — 



Serranus, the Sea Perch ; Anthias, the Barber, a beautiful red fish of the Mediterranean, with metallic reflec- 

 tions ; Merous, the Great Perch, and some varieties. 



Distinct from these are several genera, Plectrepoma, Diacopus, Mesoprion, Acerina, Ryptictis, Polyprlon, 

 Cenfropristig, and Gristes. Tliese inhabit difl'erent parts of the world, and some of them are beautiful fishes. 



The Percidae with less than seven gill-rays, are arranged according to the number of their dorsal 

 fins and the characters of their teeth. 



With a single dorsal, some have hooked teeth among the otlier ones, as Cirrkitcs, which inhabit the Indian 

 Ocean, and have six gill-rays. Others have only small teeth, among which there are the following genera, C/iiro- 

 nemus, Pomotis, Centrachus, Priarcanthus, Dules, Therapon, Palates, and Elofes. These are chiefly fishes of the 

 warm countries, some of the fresh water and others of the sea ; their colour is in general silvery, marked with 

 blackish longitudinal hues. 



There are two genera of Percida; which have less than six gill-rays and two dorsals. 

 Tliese genera are Trichntlon, a native of the North Pacific ; and SiUago, found in the Indian Ocean. One of 

 the latter is supposed to be the finest fish in India. 



We now pass on to other Percida3, which have more than seven gill-rays, and seven soft rays besides 

 a spine in their ventrals, the other AcantJwpteri/t/ii having never more than five soft rays. 



The genera, Ilolocentrum, My n prist is, Den/.r, and Trachicht/ii/s, all of which are brilliant fishes of the warm 

 seas, and some have the air-vessel divided into two parts. 



All the Percidaj hitherto mentioned have the ventrals immediately under the pectorals ; i)ut there 

 are others which have them diflferently placed. 



The Jiiffular Percida; have the ventrals upon the throat farther forward than the pectorals. Tbey 

 comprehend the following genera : — 



Trachinm, the Weevers, with the head coniiiresscd, the eyes near each other, the mouth obliquely up- 



