452 ZOOLOGY. 
tropical and subtropical seas. It is provided with a broad 
oval sucker on the upper side of the head, by which it ad- 
heres to other fish or even to ships, and may thus be trans- 
ported long distances. Another noticeable member of the 
order is the blue-fish (Pomatomus saitatriz Linn., Fig. 409), 
so valuable as a food-fish. 
Fig. 408.—The Bill-fish, Belone longirostrus.—From the American Naturalist. 
The dolphin (Coryphene) is sometimes found upon our 
coast, but it is essentially a pelagic fish, occurring only out 
of sight of land upon the high seas. The pilot-fish is also 
a pelagic form. 
The percoid fishes are represented by the perch (Perca flu- 
viatilis Linn.), which spawns in winter, making slight hol- 
lows in the gravel in shoal places in ponds ; their movements 
Fig. 409.—The Blue-fish, Pomatomus saltatriw, one sixth natural size.—EBrom the 
American Naturalist. 
can be watched through the ice. On the other hand, the 
sun-fish or bream (Hupomotis awreus G. and J.) spawns in 
the summer time, making a nest, which it scoops out of 
the river bottom. The banded sun-fish (Mesogonistius cha- 
todon Gill) occasionally scoops out a little basin in the sand, 
m which 1t deposits its eggs late in thespring. The spotted 
