954 FISHES — SEKKANID^. 



spiDes, not cavernouB ; no suborbital stay ; dorsal fin Yarionsly developed, continnoTiB 

 or divided, the spines stiif ; anal fin rather short, with 3 spines, which are rarely obso- 

 lete ; ventrals separate, thoracic, I, 5 ; pectorals well developed ; caudal fin trnncate, 

 rounded, or moderately forked, its peduncle stout and not keeled ; vertebrse about 25 ; air- 

 bladder present, usually rather small, and adherent to the walls of the abdomen ; intestinal 

 canal short, with several or many pyloric coeca; the stomach cosoal. Genera 40 ; species 

 about 300, and found in all warm seas, a few in fresh waters. 



Analysis op Genbra of SERRANiDis. 



a. Dorsal spines ten ; anal spines three; branchiostegals seven; teeth all villiform, 

 without canines, present on jaws, vomer, palatines, and tongue ; no supplemental 

 maxillary bone. ......... Roccus. 68. 



Gknus 68. EOCCUS. Mitohill. 



Morone, Mitchill, Report in pirt on iT'ishes N. Y., 1814 (in part; a mongrel group com- 

 posed of species of Peroa, Kooeus, and Eupomoiis wronge, supposed to differ from 

 Perca in having; abdominal ventrals. The name may be properly considered as a 

 synonym of Perca.). 



Boecus, Mitchill, Report in part on the Pishes of N. Y., 1814, 25. 



Zepibema labrax, Eafineeque, loh Oh., 1820, 23. 



Boecus and Morone, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., iii, 1860. 



Labrax, Cuvier, Regne Animal, ii, 1S17 (not of Pallas, 1811.). 

 Type, Boocua striatus, Mitchill = Soicena lineata, Blooh. 

 Etymology, Kock-fish, a barbarous latinization of the common name " Rook," applied 



by fishermen to Boecus lineatas. 



Description. — Body oblong or ovate, compressed and more or less elevated ; head con- 

 ical, scaly above and on sides ; mouth nearly horizontal ; the jaws equal or the lower pro- 

 jecting; premaxillaries protractile ; maxiilaries large, without supplemental bone, only 

 the edge of the anterior part slipping nnder thepreorbital; teeth all villiform, in bands 

 on jaws, vomer, palatines, and tongue; e\e large, orbital ridge a little elevated; pre- 

 opercle serrate behind and below, the teeth of its lower margin sometimes enlarged; 

 opercle with two flat spines; preorbital narrow; pwudobranchiae large; scales large; 

 breast scaly ; dorsal fios separate or connected at base, the anterior with 9 strong spines; 

 anal spines well developed; caudal fio lunate; pectorals small; species about 6, in 

 America and Europe, inhabiting both fresh and salt waters. 



Analysis of Species of Rose us. 



a, Serrie on lower edge of preopercle small, not directed forwards. 



b. Teeth on base of tongue ; ansl spines graduated ; lower jaw projecting ; soaleB 

 on cheeks almost cycloid ; dorsal fins separate. 

 0. Teeth at base of tongue in a single patch; body oblong, compressed {Lepi- 



lema, Rafinesque) chrysops. 



66. No teeth on base of tongue; second anal spine enlarged; jaws equal; scales 

 on cheeks ctenoid; dorsal fins somewhat connected {Morone, Gill). 

 d. Sides striped with black. interruptus. 



