MENDOLES. 
103 
I proverb of vileness, and has passed into the vo- 
i cabnlary of insult. A West Indian species of 
I Gerres is remarkable for the rapidity with which 
it decomposes, the flesh becoming soft almost 
immediately after it is dead. Another species of 
this genus, however {Gerres rliombeus^ Cuv.) is 
I esteemed one of the best fishes in Jamaica, where 
it goes by the name of Stone Basse. This little 
fish is reported by Mr. Couch to visit the coast of 
Cornwall, arriving there in considerable numbers, 
j accompanying pieces of floating timber covered 
I with Barnacles. Hence it is probable that these 
S shelled Cirripedes form the favourite food of the 
'I Gerres^ though M. Cuvier says that he has never 
' found in its stomach anything but the remains of 
; very minute fishes. The species of the genus 
I Smaris, which we shall select to illustrate the 
1 Family, are sufficiently esteemed to be the sub- 
I jects of fisheries of some importance, on the 
!| European coasts of the Mediterranean. 
I Genus Smaris (Cuv.). 
The general form is that of a Herring, but 
i rather more lengthened in proportion to the 
breadth. The mouth is very protrusile ; the jaws 
are furnished with fine slender teeth, but the 
vomer is toothless. The fins are destitute of 
scales, except some on the sides of the ventrals ; 
the scales between the ventrals are elongated. 
The fishes are called Picarels by the French, 
! but on the coasts and among the isles of Greece 
they retain their ancient name, slightly modified, 
marida being only a corruption of '2/jLapl<;, the 
term by which these little fishes were designated 
