TION. 



228 COMMON WEEVER. Class IV. 



The English name seems to have no meaning, 

 being corrupted from the French, la vive, so 

 called as being capable of living long out of the 

 water, according to the interpretation of Belon. 

 Descrip- It grows usually to the length of five inches. 

 The hides are yellow ; the under jaw is longer 

 than the upper, and slopes very much towards 

 the belly ; the teeth are small ; the eyes promi- 

 nent; the back is strait; the sides flat; the 

 belly prominent; the lateral line strait; the 

 covers of the gills are armed with a very 

 strong spine. The first dorsal fin consists of 

 five very strong spines, which, as well as the 

 intervening membranes, are tinged with black ; 

 this fin, when quiescent, is lodged in a small 

 hollow; the second consists of several soft rays, 

 commences just at the end of the first, and 

 continues almost to the tail ; the pectoral fins 

 are broad and angular; the ventral fins small. 

 The vent is placed remarkably forward, very 

 near the throat ; the anal fin extends to a small 

 distance from the tail, which is a little hollowed 

 in the middle, but not so much as to be called 

 forked. The gills and top of the head are of a 

 silvery brightness ; the first striped, the last 

 spotted with yellow. The whole body is semi- 

 pellucid and silvery; the back marked with in- 

 terrupted lines of yellow ; beneath that, and 



