58 
ACANTHOPTERYGII. PERCAD^E. 
more or less deep in the outline. They have for 
the most part a larger acute tooth on each side of 
the mouth, resembling the canines of Mammalia. 
Their colours are generally beautiful, and fre- 
quently arranged in bands and spots, extending 
upon the fin-membranes. They are all marine, 
and nearly all tropical, but some are found in the 
Mediterranean, and two species have been met 
with on the coast of Cornwall. 
The third Sub-family, named Holocentrina^ or 
the Mailed Perches, are still more beautiful than 
the preceding. Thej^ are usually of small size, 
but of great brilliancy of colouring, the prevailing 
hues being various shades of red, ranging from 
the richest crimson to a gorgeous orange or 
golden hue. They are all clothed with bony, 
generally toothed, scales, which in some of the 
genera form a close impenetrable coat of mail. 
Not a single British example of this group is 
known, they being almost confined to the tropical 
seas. 
In the Jugular Perches {PercopJiina) the ven- 
trals are placed beneath the throat, considerably 
in advance of the line of the pectorals. The 
head is pointed, and the lips generally thickened, 
as in the Wrasses {Lahridce ) ; the body is re- 
markably lengthened. To this group belong 
some common British Fishes known as Weevers 
{TracJiinus^ Linn.), remarkable for the enormous 
length of the second dorsal and the anal, and 
for the formidable spines with which they are 
armed. These spines are the rays of the first dorsal, 
which are very sharp and strong, and a long 
lance-like spine on the gill-fiap ; wounds inflicted 
with which are believed to be poisoned. Whether 
