298 



PISCES. 



climates, and are rrinarkable fov the Ijeaiitv of tlicir eolours. Their intestines arc lonn-, \virli numerous 



cccca, and their air-hiadder.s are 

 following are the genera : — 



large and strong. Tliey frequent rocky sliorcs, ami arc eaten. 



Th( 



CV(t/:/f)f/on, properly so calliMl, w itii the brnly more or Ifss elliptical, 

 the spinous and soft rays cotiiinned in a iihiti.nu curve, tlif ?nout ;— o- 

 jt'Ctins; more or less, and sometimes a small dentation on the operculum. 

 They all resemble each other, even in their colours, being marked with 

 a black hand which passes over the eye. In -■some, there are several 

 vertical bands ; others have them longitudinal, or obhcjue ; some have 

 brown S])ots on tlje flanks; some have glossed hands on the vertical 

 lins, and oni- or two ocellated spots. Some of them are also distin- 

 cciiislii.'d by hIaiHcnts produced from the soft rays of the dorsal, and 

 others have very few spines in that fin. 



Chelmon, remarkable for the len,2:th of its srmut, with the mouth small, 

 antl at the e.xtremity, and the teeth tine like hairs. One species, C. 

 ni.s/ratus, has the faculty of shootiuff insects with drops of water pro- 

 jreted from the mouth, and it seizes them as they fall. It is found near 

 the shores of South-eastern Asia. 



IleniocIiKs, Coachman, have the first spines of the dorsal, antl particn- 

 lariy the thinl and fourth, eKtcnded into filaments like a whip, and 

 oflcn twice tin.' Icn-tb of tin- bndy. 



Ephijijnis, Horseman, with a deep notch between the spinous and 



soft portions of the dorsal, the first of which has no scales, and can be 



folded into a groove on the back. There are various species, some of 



'^ 'C I < - . tlie American and some of ttie Indian seas; and one species is said to 



be a very foul feeder. Many of this genus are found fossil in ilouut Bolca in Italy, which is a vast magazine of 



petrified fishes. 



llolocaiithus, ha^e a stronc; spine on the operculum, with the edge of that tootlied. They are fornul in tJie warm 

 latituilps of both oceans, lludr desh is excellent, and the colours beautiful and regularly marked. 



l>oiniir>i,itliiis, have the bndy more elevated from a sudden rise of the edge of the dorsal. They are only knuwn 

 as American. 



P/'d^ax, has trcncliant teeth, with three priints in fiTuit of their brushdike ones, and their body strongly con'j- 

 pressed, and continued into iliirk, ete\"atei.l, and scaly fins, \\ith a few concealed sinncs in the anterior edge, so 

 that the height is much greater than the length. They inliabit the Indian (_)ccan, but a fossil species has been 

 found at Bulca. 



Ps('//us, resembles Platax, but has all the teeth small and crowded ; and the ventrals, which are very long in 

 iliat, red\jced to a small spine, without soft rays. They are of various forms, and known only as inhabitants of 

 the Indian Ocean. 



Pimelepfenix, with a single row of teeth ]ilaced on a hori/.nntal base or lieel, and trcnclmnt in the anterior part. 

 The body is oblong", the head blunt, and the fins thickened with scales, wlience the name. 'I'bev iidiabd both oceans. 

 Diptcerodo/i, an analogous genus, with trencliant teeth, chisel-shaped, and the spinous and soft parts of the 

 dorsal separated by a deep notch. Found in the Southern ()cean. 



The following genera, wdiJeh are ranged with Cluvtodon, on account of their scalv lins, vet differ 

 from tliem in having teeth on the vomer and palate : — 



Bramoy Ray's Bream, has the body deep and compressed, the profile ahnnst vertii?al, one elon^-ated dorsal fin, 

 scales on the dorsal and anal, and slender curved teeth on the jaws and bones of the palate. It is found in the 

 warmer seas, but is occasionally met with on the shores of England. 



Pempheris, has a Ion? and ^caly anal, the dorsal short and elevated, and an obtuse profile and large eye; a small 

 spine on the t;illdtd, and small crowded teeth on the jaws, vomer, and palate. Inhabits the Indian seas. 



yo-Cf/ei-, the Archer, has the body short and compressed, the dorsal far backwards, the snout short and de- 

 pressed, and the low^er jaw projecting beyond the upper one. It has small teeth crowded in all parts of the mouth, 

 .-Old the gill-lids finely toothed. It hits insects with drops of water at the height of three or four feet above the 

 surface, and is remarkably sure of its aim. 



THE SEVENTH FAMILY OF THE ACANTlIOPTERYGir. 

 ScoRiBERiD^ (the Mackerel Family) 

 This family conipri^es a vast number of genera, nuany species, and countless individuals. Thev arc 

 eminently useful to Man, and are the oliject of some of the jnost extensive fisheries. IMany of lliciu 

 ■were included liy Linn,Tus in one genus, Sromher, but tliev are snlidivided as follows: — 



Scomber, the Mackerel, willi the body s|unille-sli;ijied. beaulifully eolouied, siuootb, ami with small 

 scales. The common Mackerel is avcU known as one of the most valualjlc of the fast-swimming surface 



