BLACK SEA-BREAM. 
55 
The form of body of the Black Sea-Bream is one of 
the most typical and regular in the family. The curves 
of the back, which is sharply compressed, *and of the 
belly, which is flatly rounded as far back as the anal 
fin, are almost equal. The eye is of average size, and 
the snout proportional, neither excessively high, nor too 
low. In the specimen we have examined, kindly lent 
by the University Museum of Christiania, the length 
of the body, from the snout to the end of the middle 
rays of the caudal tin, is 30 cm., the greatest depth 
36 % of the length, and the greatest thickness, mea- 
sured on about a level with the insertion of the pec- 
toral fins and half-way along them, is 38 % of the 
greatest depth. The least depth of the body (that of 
the tail) is 26 % of the greatest depth or 9.3 % of the 
length, of which the length of the head forms 24.8 %. 
The vertical and horizontal diameters of the eye are 
equal and measure 22.4 % of the length of the head or 
2 / 3 of the breadth of the convex interorbital space 
at the middle of the eyes. The breadth of this 
space, as well as the length of the lower jaw, is about 
equal to 1 / 3 of the length of the head. 
When the dorsal or the anal fin is depressed, the 
spinous-rayed part is completely hidden in the fin- 
groove. According to Steindachner (1. c.) the caudal 
fin is covered with scales right out to the hind margin. 
On the dorsal and anal fins I can find no trace of 
scales. On the cheek there are 5 rows of scales, and in 
addition to these, at the lower posterior angle, two 
scales, so that counting from these there are 6 rows. 
On the operculum 9 rows of scales. In a transverse 
line straight up from the insertion of the ventral fins 
there are 18 scales below the lateral line and 8 above 
it, more anteriorly the latter are more numerous. The 
scales are covered with fine, pointed granules in radi- 
ating lines, the outermost granules becoming pointed 
teeth or fine bristles at the margin of the scale. The 
posterior dorsal branch in the system of the lateral line 
on the head (the posttemporal branch) is naked (without 
scales) anteriorly, and bounded posteriorly by 12 scales 
(, squamae superscapulares, Val. et Bonap.), above which 
the lateral outlets of the canal spread out like the 
fingers of a hand. The anterior dorsal branch is situated 
at the limit of the scales on the head (occiput). In 
the scales of the lateral line the duct is branched 
3 or sometimes 5 times, so that above and below 
the large (middle)pore there appear one or two lateral 
pores®. 
For information on other points we may refer to 
the figure. 
The colouring of the Black Sea-Bream is very vari- 
able, and is thus described by Day 6 : “gray, becoming 
lighter and dashed with gold on the sides and beneath: 
forehead and cheeks purplish. Below the lateral line are 
3 or 4 parallel, or sometimes irregularly horizontal 
golden bands, along the body. Dorsal fin dark, with 
2 or 3 nearly black bands composed of spots. Pectoral, 
caudal and anal straw-coloured. Caudal gray-edged, 
margined externally with white: some bands of spots 
along the anal. Ventral slate-colour along the centre, 
with light or even white edges.” 
From its proper home, the Mediterranean and the 
Atlantic between the Canary Islands and England, the 
Black Sea- Bream has several times wandered north and 
been met with on the south coast of Norway, up to 
Trondhjem Fjord". On only one single occasion, how- 
ever, has it been found in Swedish waters: this was in 
1840, when a specimen IS 1 /, in. long was taken off 
the Scanian coast' 1 . It is extremely improbable that it 
propagates its species north of England, as only full- 
grown specimens, and never small fry, have been taken 
there. According to Couch" it prefers a rocky bottom 
and sometimes enters harbours and inlets, where it is 
generally caught with rod and line, mussels being the 
best bait. He says, however, that “it also feeds on the 
finer kind of seaweeds, upon which it becomes exceed- 
ingly fat,” Its flesh is generally little esteemed, but 
in the north of France it is considered fairly good 1 . 
a This is also the case in Uantharus orbicularis , according to Bonaparte’s figure and description. 
b Fish. G:t Brit., Irel., 1. c. 
0 Cf. Collett, 1. c. 
d Nilsson, Skand. Fn., 1. c., p. 120. 
e Fish. Brit. Isl., I, p. 222. 
f Valenciennes, 1. c., p. 337. 
