152 FISH GALLERY. 



also in fresh water. The mouth is very protractile and descends 

 when thrust out; the dentition is feeble, and the lower pharyngeal 

 bones are fused together. The Latrididse are a small family of 

 southern fishes of large size, related to the Serranidae on the one 

 hand and the Haplodactylidse on the other. The species of Latris 

 are among the most important food-fishes of Australia and New 

 Trum- Zealand. The Trumpeter, Latris hecateia, 576, grows to 50 or 

 pe ( 60 lbs., and Latris ciliaris, 577, to 20 lbs. The Haplodactylidse 

 (e. g. Haplodactylus, 580, and Chilodactylus, 579) differ from the 

 last in the anal fin being shorter, but agree with them in the 

 pelvic fins being set relatively far back ; they bear some resem- 

 blance to the Sparidse, but differ iu having the lower rays of the 

 pectoral fin thickened and not branched. The Pristipomatidse 

 (Pristipoma, 581, and Dia gramma, 586) is > another family of no 

 special interest. 



The Sea-breams and Snappers belong to the family Sparidse ; 

 they are coast fishes, widely distributed, and mostly carnivorous. 

 The spinous and soft portions of the dorsal fin are continuous and 

 nearly equal in extent ; the lower rays of the pectoral fin are 

 branched ; the lower pharyngeal bones are separate. The genera 

 of the family are distinguished the one from the other chiefly by 

 the characters of the teeth. In Chrysophrys, 606, and other 

 . forms, such as Sargus, Lethrinus, Splicer odon, Pagrus, and 

 Pagellus, which feed on hard -shelled crustaceans and molluscs, 

 the hinder teeth are strongly developed as molars. In such 

 genera as Cantharus, Box, Crenidens, Dipterodon, and Gymno- 

 crotapkus, on the other hand, the teeth at the front of the jaw are 

 moderately broad, cutting teeth, and there are no molar teeth. 



Dentex vulgaris, 589, is one of the larger species of the genus. 

 It is common in the Mediterranean, and is sometimes caught on 

 the south coast of England. The Old-wife, Cantharus lineatus, 

 587, with numerous longitudinal bands on the sides of the body, 

 is also sometimes found in the English Channel. 

 Sheers- ^ e Sheep's-head of the United States, 594, is the largest 

 head. species of the genus Sargus ; it attains to a weight of 15 lbs. and 

 a length of three feet, and is highly esteemed on account of the 

 excellence of its flesh ; it is common in sandy bays from Cape Cod 

 to Texas. Several species of Sargus occur in the Mediterranean 



