Ctenoid Acantiioptekes.- 



-FISHES.- 



-SCLEROGENIDS. 



121 



tlie substance of tlie tail, compensating for tlie shortness 

 of tlie body. The stomach is CKoal ; and there are 

 from three to twelve pancreatic caeca, tliese organs 

 being absent in one genus only. In many members of 

 the fiimily the tips of the rays of one or more fins are 

 enveloped in thick, sensitive membrane. 



Tlie geiiei-a are — Trachimis ; Percis ; Aphriles ; SiUago ; 

 Eleginus ; Epicopus (Giiichenot) ; Percophis ; Buvic/Mi/s ; 

 Trichodon ; IJclerosliclms (Girard) ; Gadopsis (liicliardsun) ; 

 Uraiwscopus ; Aijnus (Giintlier) ; Aiiema (iJ.) ; Kallielosloma 

 (i(L) ; Li:j>tuscopus (\d.) ; Pinyulpes ; aai Ladlus. 



Two species of Weevers {Trachinus) represent the 

 family in the British seas. They are littoral fishes, 

 frequenting flat, sandy coasts, and are capable of 

 irillioting dangerous punctured wounds with their very 

 sharp spines, which are vulgarly accounted to be 

 venomous. Their Latin generic name is derived from 

 the Italian Trascina, a corruption of Dracana, mean- 

 ing a dragon ; and their English ono comes from the 

 Anglo-Saxon Wivcre, a serpent or wyvern. 



Family III.— SCLEUOGENIDS {SckrogcniJcv). 

 Plate 7, figs. 36, 37. 



This group of fishes was characterized by Cuvier as 

 consisting of fishes whose second sub-orbitar deflects 

 fi-om the inverted arch of the other sub-orbitars, to 

 cross the cheek and aliut against the hollow curve of 

 the preoperculum. In the Gurnards this second sub- 

 orbitar expands over the whole cheek, whence Cuvier 

 named the group Jones Cuirassee-i a term which has 

 had many Latin translations, as, Cataphradi, Caia- 

 phracloridic, Sderopareii, Bucccclorioalce, and in 

 English, Mailed cheeks. 



The forms of the Sclerogenids are exceedingly 

 variable, some of them being grotes'jue or even 

 hideous, and thence receiNang such names as Devil- 

 fishes ; others are not less remarkable for elegance of 

 form, and the splendour and beauty of their colouis. 

 Several of the genera have fewer than five rays in 

 their ventrals, a departure from the normal number 

 among the Acanthopteres. Many are fringed with 

 cutaneous tags or filaments on the head, body, or fins; 

 and some genera of bottom -feeders have their inferior 

 pectoral rays detached and resembling fingers, to serve 

 as organs of touch. In some the scales are cycloid, 

 in others spiniferous, and some Gurnards are clolhed 

 with a mixture of cycloid and spinous scales ; but 

 many of the genera have well-ujarked ctenoid scales. 



Tlie genera are — Trigla ; Lepidotritjla (Giinther) ; Prlonotus ; 

 Bembrus ; Monocentris ; Plalycephdus ; PolycauUs (Guntlier) ; 

 Ptyonoius i\i.^ \ Arledius Qiii,')\ Ilem'dcpidotus ; Trighps (J\v\n- 

 hardt); Icdus (Krnyer); Ceniriderinlchihys (Ricliardson, or 

 Truchidermis, Hcc-kcl); CoUus; Phobelor (Kroyer); Scorpenich- 

 r/»/s(Giiaid); A'(iiHiclitliys(ii.y, Podalinis {Rkh-.irAson); Chori- 

 diictylus (id.); Ptlor ; Minous; Micritpus (Gray or Cur acan- 

 thus^ Kroyer); Synnnccia ; Synancidiuvi ; Ampliyprlonidtthys 

 (lilceker); Ilcmitripta'us; Sthenopus (Ricliardson or Tricho- 

 plenra, Kaup) ; Aphactis (Schlegel) ; Prosnpodasys (Cantor) ; 

 ApistiLs; Enneaptcrygius (Riippell) ; Tetraroge (Giinther); 

 Petitnroge (id.); Ceniropogon (id.); Twnianotus ; Ptcrui- 

 diclithys (Bieeker) ; Pterois; Glyptauchen (Giintlier); Gna- 

 thaiiacanthus (Klerkfr); Sciyi'pitna ; Scbastes ; Aspidophorvs 

 or Agonus ; Aspidiphoroides (Lac^p.); Perisledioii or Peri- 

 stethus ; Daclylopterns ; Cephalacantlius ; Xystophorits (Rich- 

 ardson); C/iirus ; Slicltwus ; Ophidion (Girard); Agraviunis 

 (id.) ; Zaniolepis (id.) ; Agrwpus ; CeiUropus (Ivuer) ; and 

 Gasterosteus. 



The genera that are most remarkable either for 

 their ugliness or beauty live within the tropics. The 

 British s|)ecies are — the Piod Gurnard, llotchet, or 



Saildlehead (OInit"'i<'hen pandnratns). 



Gaveriek {Trir/la cucuhs) ; the Rock Gurnard {Tr. 

 lincaUi) ; tlie Sapphirine Gurnard {Tr. hirundo) ; the 

 Little Glurnard {Tr.pccciloxitcra) ; the Piper (TV. bjra) ; 

 Vol. II. 



the Grey Gurnard, Crooner, Girnat, Goukncy, or Woof 

 {Tr. gurnardus); Bloch's Gurnard [Tr. hlochii) ; and 

 the Long-fiuned Captain {Tr. luccrna) ; all of which 



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