300 



PISCKS. 



Pilot-tisli of tlii^ IVTr-^Llitrrrancfin is not above a foot lono; ; but it is swift and ^'Gracious, anr) fallows in tlip wake of 

 ships alon^^ with the Sliurk, which it has been erroneously supposed to lead, and lience its name of Duct or. A 

 black species of tlie South American coasts has been found eight or nine feet lon^. 



Erf,ifiitr.s, form and dorsal spines like the last, but the head flattened, and the keel and anal spines wanting. 



L'o/iia, has dorsal and anal spines on the back, one of the former lying flat and directed forwards, but the body 

 is compressed, uiid no kiM.is on llie tail. There are several species in the I\lediterranean, all eatable, and some of 

 large size. Tru'-hinoitis nierel\- has tlie liody a little more elevated, and the dorsal and anal longer and more 

 pointed. 



L'lniiirhohdi'Ua. Spines as in the furmer genus, huig hoily, and no ventrals. Tlio subgenera are, — 



Macrogtiailiii-s : has a pointed, cartilaginous muzzle, projecting licyond the lower jaw, and the dorsal and anal 

 separate from the caudal. Mestacembelus : jaws equal, and dorsal and anal joined to the caudal. Both inhabit 

 the fresh waters of Asia, and feed on worms, in search of which they plough up the sand witli their cartilaginous 

 noses ; their flesh is much esteemed. 



This is the place for the imperfectly known genus XoUicri/Uhus-, wliieh lias tlie muzzle of the last, 

 free spines for a dorsal, vcntriils abdoniinal, a lung anal reaching to the tnj) of the lail, and joining a 

 very small caudal. The kuowu species inhatjit the Arctic Ueean, and have been found two t'eet and a 

 half long. 



\Seriola, This genus resembles Lichia, has a horizontal spine before the dorsal, but the dorsal spines united by 

 a fin, a small fin with two spines before the anal, and no keel on the lateral line. One species is the .Milk-iith of 

 Pondicherry, so much esteemed for the delicacy of its flesh. There are several other species in both oceans. 



Nomeus, resemble the last, but have large vcntrals attached to the abdomen by their inner edge ; colour, 

 silvery, with transverse black bands on the upper part. Has been confounded with the Gobies. 



Temnodon : tail unarmed, spines or small fins before the anal, first dor.->al s[i,all, second and anal small, 

 scales, one row of treucliant teeth in each jaw, with small crowded ones behind, and on the vomer, the parietals, 

 and tongue; seven rays on the gills, and the gill-lid forked. Thi_-re are species common to both oceans, and about 

 the size of the common Mackerel. 



CaraiKV, have the lateral line with scaly plates, keeled, and often spinous, hoi izontal spine before the first of the 

 two dorsals, last rays of the second dorsal often detached, some spines or a small fin before the anal. Several 

 species in the European seas, and generally over the globe. Resemble Mackerel, and are called Bastard 

 Mackerel. [On the British shores they are designated Scad or Horse Mackerel, and they sometimes make their 

 appearance in Immense shoals, literally " Ijankiug the sea," especially along the Cornish coasts, and shores of the 

 Bristol Channel. They feed on the fry of Herrings, and are not in much estimation as food.] 



Vo/tipr. This genus have the body more and more compressed and elevated in the iliiTerent sub- 

 genera, while the arn.aturc on the lateral line diminishes, and the skin iiecomes sniooih like satin, 

 ^vithout any apparent scales. They have no teeth, except short and hue ones crowded together; and 

 the subgenera are chiefly distinguished from each idher !ty \arions filamentary prolongations of some 

 of the fins. Linna?us and IMoidi included them, luit impruperly, in the genus Zens (^Dory). Tlie fol- 

 lowing arc the snbgem'ra : — 



Otisliis. Thesr resrnd.i..' Sihil.r, a suligenus of Caranx, but t!.e middle rays of ihe second dor.-al are not 

 branched, but nieTcly artienhitcd, and extend in Inng lllunienls. 



'Sci/ris. Nearly the same in form and filaments, 

 b ;t the spines of the fir t dm'.'-al hidden in the edge 

 of the second, and theventrals short. 



Blepharis, has long filaments to the second dorsal 

 and anal, the ventrals very long, and tlie >-|nno 

 scarcely above the skin ; their body is \ery ele\ ated, 

 but their profile not so vertical as that of some of 

 the other subgenera found in the warm seas; and in 

 the West Indies one species is called the "Cobbler." 

 Gallim, similar to the last in all respects except 

 having the i)rofile more vertical. Arfji/reiosus, has 

 the profile still more vertical, the first dorsal defi- 

 nitely formed, and some of its rays extended in 

 filaments, as well as those of the second dorsal ; the 

 ventrals are also very long. 



i''ii)tci\ ]U'0perly so called, has the body cnni- 

 prrssed. and the profile vertical, as in rlie two snb- 

 ^enci-a immediately preceding it, but none of the 

 fins are extended into filaments. 



Zrn.)!. Alter 

 genera of \ ome 



removing the analogous siib- 

 this genus eoniprcliends 



