430 FISHES. 



in all the seas and rivers in which Scisenoids generally occur, 

 and many are entirely confined to fresh water, for instance the 

 species figured, Scimna richardsonii, from Lake Huron; Sc. 

 amazonica ; Sc. dbligua, ocellata, oscula, etc., from fresh waters 

 of the United States. Scicena diacanthus and Sc. coitor belong 

 to the most common fishes of the coasts of the East Indies, 

 ascending the great rivers for a long distance from the sea. 

 One of the European species, Scimna aqioila, has an extremely 

 wide range ; it not rarely reaches the British coasts, where it 

 is known as " Meagre," and has been found at the Cape of 

 Good Hope and on the coast of southern Australia. Like some 

 of the other species it attains to a length of six feet, but the 

 majority of the species of this genus remain within smaller 

 dimensions. A part of the species have the second anal ray 

 very strong, and have been placed into a distract genus, 

 Gorvina, — thus, among others, Sc. nigra from the Mediter- 

 ranean, and Sc. richardsonii. 



Pachyurus is closely allied to Scicena, but has the vertical 

 fins densely covered with small scales. 



Otohthus. — Snout obtuse or somewhat pointed, with the 

 lower jaw longer. The first dorsal with nine or ten feeble spines. 

 Canine teeth more or less distinct. Praeoperculum denticulated. 

 Scales of moderate or small size. 



About twenty species are known from the tropical and 

 sub-tropical parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The 

 air-bladder is figured on p. 144. 



Ancylodon differs from Otolithus in having very long arrow- 

 shaped or lanceolate canine teeth. Coasts of tropical America. 



CoLLiCHTHYS. — Body elongate ; head very broad, with the 

 upper surface very convex ; cleft of the mouth wide and oblique ; 

 no large canines. Eye small. No barbel. Scales small, or of 

 moderate size. The second dorsal very long, caudal pointed. 



Three species from the East Indian and Chinese coasts. 

 The great development of the muciferous system on the head 



