T10N". 



228 COMMON WEEVER. Class IV. 



The English name seems to have no meaning, 

 being corrupted from the French, la vive, so 

 called as being caoable of living Ions; out of the 

 water, according to the interpretation of Belon. 

 Descrip- It grows usually to the length of five inches. 

 The hides are yellow ; the under jaw is longer 

 than the upper, and slopes very much towards 

 the belly ; the teeth are small ; the eyes promi- 

 nent; the back is strait; the sides fiat; the 

 belly prominent; the lateral line strait; the 

 covers of the gills are armed with a very 

 strong spine. The first dorsal fin consists of 

 five very strong spines, which, as well as the 

 intervening membranes, are tinged with black ; 

 this fin, when quiescent, is lodged in a small 

 hollow ; the second consists of several soft rays, 

 commences just at the end of the first, and 

 continues almost to the tail; the pectoral fins 

 are broad and angular; the ventral fins small. 

 The vent is placed remarkably forward, very 

 near the throat ; the anal fin extends to a small 

 distance from the tail, which is a little hollowed 

 in the middle, but not so much as to be called 

 forked. The gills and top of the head are of a 

 silvery brightness; the first striped, the last 

 spotted with yellow. The whole body is semi- 

 pellucid and silvery ; the back marked with in- 

 terrupted lines of yellow ; beneath that, and 



