MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 319 



the Welsh Char, or Torgoch, has red spots in the flanks, an orange belly, and red pectorals, with the first ray very 

 thick and white. 5. alpbius, nearly the same colour, but the first rays of the lower fins not so much distinguished. 

 It abounds in Lapland, where it is very valuable. ,S'. umbla, Northern Char, found in various British lakes, and 

 also in the Lake of Geneva. [There are various other members of the genus Salmo, but the line of distinction be- 

 tween species and variety is sometimes not easily drawn.] 



Osmenis, the Smelt, has two rows of teeth on each palatal, but only a few in front of the vomer. Form like a 

 Trout, but only eight gill-rays, and the body brilliant silvery, with some greenish reflections, but with no spots. 

 [Found abundantly in some estuaries of British rivers at particular seasons, but very local. It seldom exceeds, 

 and rarely equals, a foot in length. Its flesh is delicious.] 



Mallotus, mouth like the preceding, but teeth very small and crowded, and only in the jaws, palate, and tongue ; 

 eight gill-rays, body lengthened, and small scales ; first dorsal and ventrals behind the middle, pectorals large, 

 round, and nearly meeting beneath. The only known species, S. groenlandicits, the Capelin, classed by Gmelin ' 

 among the Herrings, is remarkably abundant on the shores of Newfoundland, and used as bait in the Cod fisheries, 

 [and sometimes as manure for the land]. 



Thymallus, the Grayling, has the jaws like a Trout, but the mouth small, and the teeth remarkably fine ; first 

 dorsal long and high, scales much larger than on a Trout, stomach thick, and seven or eight gill-rays ; first dorsal 

 long, as high as the body, spotted with black, and occasionally with red, with dusky bars on the large dorsal. 

 Recent it smells like wild thyme, and when cooked in its perfume it is a dainty dish. 



Coregoniis, the Gurniad, has the mouth as in the last, but with few teeth, and sometimes none, the scales 

 larger, and the dorsal shorter. There are many species or varieties of this genus ; some in the sea, others in the 

 fresh waters only, and one occurs in several British lakes. [C. Willughbii, the Vendace, is found in some lakes of 

 the south of Scotland. It feeds on insects, and very minute fresh-water Crustacea.] 



^;-^e«/(«a, has the mouth small and toothless, but strong hooked teeth on the tongue, and small ones before 

 the vomer, six gill-rays, and the digestive organs like those of a Trout. A. sphijrana, the only known species, 

 has the air-bladder thick, and very much loaded with nacre— ihe silvery substance used in counterfeiting pearls ; 

 it is found in the Mediterranean. The following subgenera, which have the numerous cceca of the Salmon, and 

 the double air-bladder of the Carps, have not more than four or five gill-rays. 



Crlmata, externally like Thymallus, and some of them have the same teeth, difi'ering only in the gill-rays. 

 Others have teeth in both jaws, sharp and directed forwards. They inhabit the American rivers. 



Anastomus, like Thymallus, and with small teeth in both jaws, but the lower jaw is so turned up and enlarged 

 at the point, that the mouth appears a vertical slit. 



Gastropelecus, mouth as in the last, but abdomen compressed, projecting, and sharp ; ventrals small and far 

 back, first dorsal over the anal ; upper teeth conical, lower ones notched and trenchant. 



Plabiicus, have the head small, the mouth shallow, a compressed body, the ventral keel entire and sharp, a long 

 anal, and the first dorsal opposite its commencement. 



tSerrasalmus, has the body compressed, the belly toothed and sharp, and frequently a spine in front of the 

 dorsal. The known species inhabit the South American rivers ; and, it is said, pursue ducks, and even bathers ; 

 wounding them severely with their teeth, which are triangular, notched, and very sharp. 



Tetragonopteriis, has teeth as in the former, but the mouth smaller, and no keel or tooth on the belly. 



Chalceus, with the same mouth and teeth, has the body oblong, and the teeth on the maxillaries small and 

 rounded. 



Ml/teles, with triangular teeth hollowed in the crowns, and three points at the corners, mouth shallow, with two 

 rows on the intermaxillaries, but none on the palate, the maxillaries, or the tongue. Some have the elevated 

 form, falchion-shaped fins, spine directed forwards, and even the sharp and toothed belly, of Serrasalmiis, but 

 not the teeth. One American species grows large, and is good eating Others have simply an elongated body, 

 and the first dorsal between the ventrals and he anal. These are Egyptian. 



Hf/drocyon, have the point of the muzzle formed by the intermaxillaries, the maxillaries nearer before the eyes, 

 and completing the aperture ; the tongue and vomer are always smooth, but the jaws have conical teeth, and the 

 large suborbital covers the cheek like an operculum. Some have a close range of small teeth on the maxillaries 

 and the palatals, and the dorsal fin between the ventrals and anals. They inhabit the tropical rivers, and 

 taste like Carp. Others have a double row of teeth in the intermaxillaries and lower jaw, a single row in the 

 maxillaries, and none in the palate ; the first is over the ventrals. They inhabit Brazil. Others, again, have a 

 single row in the maxillaries and lower jaw, with the teeth alternately very long and very sharp, and lodging in 

 holes of the upper jaw when the rnouth is shut ; there are large scales upon the lateral line, and the first dorsal 

 is between the ventral and the anal. They are also from Brazil. A fourth type have the muzzle prominent and 

 pointed, the maxillaries very short, and with the lower jaw and intermaxillaries with a single row of closely-set 

 teeth; the first is between the ventral and anal, and they have large scales. They too are from Brazil. Others, 

 yet, have no teeth in the maxillaries or lower jaw, and what they have are few, but strong and pointed; their first 

 dorsal is directly over the ventrals. They inhabit the Nile. 



Cetharinus, have the mouth depressed, cleft at the end of the muzzle, and the upper margin entirely formed by 

 the intermaxillaries ; the maxillaries are small and toothless, occupying only the commissure ; the tongue and 

 palate both smooth, the adipose, dorsal, and great part of the caudal, covered with scales. Found in the Nile. 

 Some have three small teeth in the upper jaw, and the body elevated, but the belly not sharp or toothed. Others 

 have many ranks of close teeth on the jaws, which teeth are slender and forked, and the fishes themselves are 

 elongated. 



Saurus, muzzle short, gape cleft far behind the eyes, margin of the upper jaw composed wholly of intermaxil- 



