116 PISCES. 



on the operculum; four rays in the branchiae; a natatory bladder. 

 They are all from hot latitudes.(l) 



FAMILY II, 



BUCCiE LORICATE., 



Or the Mailed- Cheeks, contains a numerous suite of fishes 

 to which the singular appearance of their head, variously 

 mailed and protected, gives a peculiar aspect that has always 

 caused them to be arranged in special genera, although they 

 have many close affinities with the Perches. Their common 

 character consists in the sub-orbital being more or less ex- 

 tended over the cheek and articulated behind with the pre- 

 operculum. The Uranoscopus is the only one of the preced- 

 ing family which has any thing like it, but the sub-orbital of 

 the latter, although very broad, is connected behind with the 

 temporal bones, and not with the preoperculum. 



Linnaeus divided them into three genera, Trigla, Cottus, 

 and ScoKP^NA ; it has been found necessary, however, to sub- 

 divide them, and to add some of his Gasterostei. 



Trigla, Lin. (2) 



The above character strongly marked; an enormous sub-orbital 

 completely covering the cheek, and even articulated by an immova- 

 ble suture Avith the preoperculum, so as to allow of no separate 

 motion; sides of the head nearly vertical, giving it a form approach- 

 ing that of a cube, or parallelopiped, the bones hard and rough. 

 There are two distinct dorsals, and three frep rays under the pecto- 

 ral. They have about twelve cseca, and a broad and bilobate air- 

 bladder. Several species, when caught, utter sounds which have 

 procured for them in France their vulgar name of Grondins; in 

 England they are called Gurnards. 



(1) Mullus vittatus, Gm., Lacep., Ill, xiv, 1; Russel, II, 158; — M. Russelii, Cuv., 

 Russel, II, 15"; — M. bifasciatus, Lacep., Ill, xiv, 2; — M. trifasciatus. Id., Ill, xv, 

 1, or M. multibande, Quoy et Gajrn., Voy. Freycin,, pL 59, f. 1, and several 

 other species described in the third Vol. of our Hist, des Poissons. 



(2) Tg«'>x», the Greek name of the Mullet; Artedi united these two genera, and 

 since they have been separated, this name has been assigned to the Gurnards. 



