ACAXTHOPTERYGII. 107 



Polyp, cernium, Valenc; Mem. du Mus. torn. XI, p. 265; and 

 Cuv. and Val., Ill, pi, xlii.(l) An enormous species found in 

 the Mediterranean; it is douded with brown on a lighter 

 ground. 



CentropristiSj Cuv. 



All the characters of Serranus except that there are no canini, 

 and that all the teeth are small and crowded; preoperculum dentated 

 and operculum spinous. 



Centrop. nigricans, Cuv.; Coryph?ena nigrescens, Bl., Schn.; 



Cuv. and Val., Ill, pi. xliv. (The Black Perch.) Blackish brown; 



the caudal fin trilobate when young. It becomes large, and is 



found in the United States. (2) 



Gristes, Cuv. 



Only differs from Centropristis in the margin of the preopercu- 

 lum, which is entire and not dentated. (3) 



The! genus Perca, as defined by Artedi and Linnaeus, ter- 

 minates here ; but there remains a number of fishes which ap- 

 proach itj although peculiar characters compel us to arrange 

 them in separate genera. 



We will begin with those Percoides which have less than 

 seven branchial rays. We may also subdivide them according 

 to the number of their dorsals, and the nature of their teeth. 



Of those with a single dorsal, some have hooked teeth among 

 the others : they are the 



CiRRHiTES, Commers. 



Preoperculum, as in Mesoprion, dentated, and the operculum termi- 

 nating in an obtuse angle; distinguished by the inferior rays of the 

 pectoral, which are stouter and not branched, that extend a little be- 



(1) The Amphiprion austra/is^Bl,, Schn., pi. 47, or americanus, lb., p. 205; and 

 the Amph. oxygeneios, lb., or Perca prognathus, Forst. do not appear to us distin. 

 guishable from the cernium. 



(2) It is also the Lutjan triloba, Eacep. II, xvi, 3, and the Peixa varia, Mitchill, 

 Trans. New York, I. — Add Perca trifurca, L. ; — La Scorp^ne de Waigiou, Quoy et 

 Gaym. Freycin., Zool., LVIII, 1; and the other species described in the third 

 Vol. of our History of Fishes. 



(3) The Labre salmo'ide, Lacep. IV, v, 2, or Cychla variabilis, Lesueur, Ac. 

 Nat. Sc. Phil., Cuv., et Val., lU, pi. xlv; — Gr. macguariensis, lb., p. 58. 



