328 LUNULATED GILT-HEAD. Class IV. 



them. The teeth of this genus in particular are 

 extremely well adapted for that purpose, the 

 grinders being flat and strong, like those of cer- 

 tain quadrupeds : besides those are certain 

 bones in the lower part of the mouth, which 

 assist in grinding their food. 



They are but coarse fishes ; nor did the Ro- 

 mans hold them in any esteem, except they had 

 fed on the Lucrine oyster. 



Non oninis laudem pretiumque Aurata meretur, 

 Sed cui sohis er'it concha Lucrina cibus.* 



No praise, no price a Gilt-head e'er will take, 

 Unfed with oysters of the Lucrine lake. 



TION. 



Descrip- They grow to the weight of ten pounds. The 

 form of the body is deep, not unlike that of a 

 bream ; the back is very sharp, and of a dusky 

 green color ; the jrides of a silvery hue ; be- 

 tween the eyes is a semilunar gold colored spot, 

 the horns of which point towards the head ; on 

 the upper part of the gills is a black spot, be- 

 neath that another of purple. The dorsal fin 

 extends almost the whole length of the back, 

 and consists of twenty-four rays, the eleven 

 first spiny, the others soft; this and the anal 

 rise out of a shallow furrow ; the pectoral fins 



* Martial. Lib. xiii. Fp. QO. 



