ACANTHOPTERYGTL 293 



THE nUST FAMILY OF THE ACANTHOPTERYGII. 

 Fercip.'E (the Perch Family). 



These fishes have theboily oljloiig, covered wiih hard or rough scales, with the g;ilUlid or gill-flap, or 

 often both, toothed or S])inous in the margins. The species are very numerous in the waters of all 

 warm countries ; their flesh is in general agreeable and wholesome ; tliey are mostly thoracic, or have 

 the ventral fins under tlie pectoral, and they are subdivided according to the number of gill rays. 

 The first divdsion have seven rays in the gills, two dorsal fins, and all their teeth are velvety. 

 [Cuvier makes use of this expression as descriptive of very minute teeth, set closely together 

 in numerous rows, and thus resembling the pile of velvet in arrangement though not in texture.] 



This division comprises various species, of which the following are the principal genera: — 



Perca, including the Common Perch of Europe, and various other species of North America and other places ; 

 Labrax, the Basse, a marine g;enus, of which species are found both in Europe and in America ; Lates, the Perch 

 of the Nile, of which there are also species in the Indian rivers ; Cenfropomus, the Sea Pike, which ha,s the oper- 

 culum obtuse and without spines; 6'r«7Ji»?u//.v, an Indian g-enus, with white longitudinal stripes, and a black 

 p;round ; Arpro, the River Perch, found chiefly in the ithine ; Ziiiffel, a peculiar Perch of the Danuhe, with tliirteen 

 spines in the first dorsal. 



This subdivision also comprehends some fishes of foreip:n countries, whose peculiarities cause several sub?:enera. 

 These are, Ilnro, like a true Perch, only the pre-opercuhim is not toothed ; Etclis, with hooked teeth in the jaws, 

 but not in the palate ; iV/^j/(oy(, with strong spines on the pre-operculum and operculum ; EnoploauSyWkQ a Perch, 

 but with bo'ly much compressed, two high dorsals, and the pre-nperculum deeply toothed ; Dijilorton, compressed, 

 double-toothed border to the pre -operculum, and two spines on the gill-Hd. Other species of this subdivision are, 

 Apogon, small fishes, of a red colour, with two dorsals far apart, and large scales, easily separated. One of them, 

 the King of the Mullets, or Beardless Mullet, is found in the Mediterranean ; Cheilodipterus, resembling the former, 

 hut with long teeth in the jaws; and Pomatomus, a very rare genus, of small size, with immense eyes, and 

 exceedingly small teeth, velvety in their arrangement. 



A second subdivision have two dorsal fins, but long and pointed teeth, mingled with a velvety 

 arrangement. 



Of these the principal genera are Amhassis, with the dorsals near each other, and a spine in front of the former ; 

 they are small fishes of the warm regions of the East, abundant in pools and rivulets, and sometimes prepared as 

 Anchovies ; and Litcio-perca, the Perch-Pike, with long teeth on the maxillaries, and and also in the palate, found 

 in Eastern Euro[>e. 



The second division of the Pcirhes have seven rays in the gills, but only one dorsal fin ; the genera 

 are arranged by the characters of their teeth, and the leading ones are these : — 



Serraiius, the Sea Perch; AntliJas, the Barber, a beautiful red fish of the Mediterranean, witli metallic reflec- 

 tions ; Merous, the Great Perch, and some varieties. 



Distinct from these are seveial genera, Plectrepo/iia, Dlnropus, Mesoprioii, Jreriiia, Ri/pficu6\ Poljiprion, 

 CcntropristiSj and Grlstcs. These inhabit dilferent parts of the world, and some of tliem are beautiful fishes. 



The Percida; with less than seven gill-rays, are arranged according to the number of their dorsal 

 fins and the characters of their teeth. 



With a single dorsal, some have hookerl teeth among the other ones, as Cirrhttes, which inhabit the Indian 

 Ocean and have six gill-r?ys. Others have only small teeth, among wdiich there are the following genera, C/iira- 

 nemtis, Pomoils, Cenfroctius, Priarcaniliu-s, Dales, T/icrapon, Palates, and Elo/es. These are chiefly fishes of the 

 warm countries, some of the fresh water and others of the sea; their colour is in general silvery, marked with 

 blackish longitudinal lines. 



There are two genera of Percida; which have less than six gdUrays ami two dorsals. 

 These genera are TWM(?(fo", a native of the North Pacific ; and Si/lago, fomid m the Indian Ocean. One of 

 the latter is supposed to be the finest fish in India. 



■\Ve now pass on to other Percida?, wdiich have more than seven gill-rays, and seven soft rays besides 

 a spine in their vcntrals, the other Acanihopteryfiii having never more than five soft rays. 



The genera, Tlolocentriim, Mi/ripns/is, Beri/x, and Trachichthijs, all of which are brilliant fishes of the warm 

 seas, and some have the air-vessel divided into two parts. 



All tlte Percida; hitherto mentioned have the vcntrals immediately under the pectorals ; but there 

 are others wdiich have them dilferently placed. 



The Jugular Percida; have the ventrals upon the throat farther forward than the pectorals. They 

 comprehend the following genera : — 



Trachinus, the "W'eevers, with the head compressed, the eyes near each other, the mouth obliquely up- 



