SPARUS. SPARUS. 



Generic Character. 



Den tes validi : Primores in 

 aliis ordine simplici, in 

 aliis, duplici, triplici, vel 

 qnadruplici dispositi. 



Molar es (plerisque) validi, 

 convexi, lseves, in series 

 dispositi, et quasi pavi- 

 mentum in ore efforman- 

 tes. 



Labia crassa : Opercula mu- 

 tica, squamosa. 



Teeth strong : front-teeth, in 

 some species disposed in 

 a single row, in others in 

 a double, treble, or qua- 

 druple row. 



Grinders (in most species) 

 convex, smooth, and dis- 

 posed in ranges, forming 

 a kind of pavement in the 

 mouth. 



Lips thick: Gill-covers un- 

 armed, smooth, scaly. 



A H E genus Spar us is extremely numerous, and 

 as the greater number are exotic, very little is 

 known of their history : a general survey is there- 

 fore all that can be expected : it may be observed 

 that they are much allied to the Labri> and that 

 the distinction between these two genera is not, 

 in all cases, so clear as might be wished : in the 

 Systema Naturae of Linnaeus an evident confusion 

 takes place with respect to the characters of both. 



