The Hijlory of ANIMALS. 
2 55 
Spar us offculo fecundo pinnarum ventralbum in longam fetam 
produElo. 
"The Spar us, with the fee ond ray of the belly fins extended in 
in form of a brifile . 
The head of this fpecies is of a comprefled form, acute at the roftrum, and not 
very large : the mouth is moderately wide, and the teeth fmall j the lips are flefhy and 
firm ; the eyes are large, and ftand very diftant; the noftrils have a double aperture • 
the anterior on each fide round, the other oblong and tranfverfe: the back is elevated j 
the belly fomewhat flatted, and the fides prominent and flefhy : there is on each fide 
a black fpot, at the root of the pe&oral fins: the lateral line is faint, and reaches no 
farther than to the back fin ; the tail is forked: the back fin has twenty-three rays; 
the pinna ani has twelve; the pedtoral fins have feventeen each ; the ventral ones have 
only fix. 
This fpecies is frequently caught in the Mediterranean, and fometimes in our own 
feas, but that more rarely; the antients were very well'acquainted with it. Ariftotle 
calls it X^uxj/, X^k, and X^ig ; fElian and Athensus call it Xjoo^k.; and from them all 
the Latin writers alfo call it Chromis: Charleton calls it Chromis five Chremis; the 
Italians and Genoefe call it Caftagnole ; the Sicilians, Monachelle. 
Sparus varius macula nigra ad caudam, in extremo cequalem . 
The Sparus, with the tail not forked, and with a black fpot 
near it. 
This is a very beautiful fpecies: the head is large, comprefled, acute at the roftrum, 
and of an elegant red colour : the mouth is moderately large, and the teeth are flender, 
rounded, and fharp ; the lips are large and thick 5 the eyes are large 5 the apertures of 
the noftrils double, and the back part of the top of the head flatted : the body is ele¬ 
gantly variegated with red, brown, yellowifh, and a fine purple; the back fin has ten 
prickly rays, and the tail is not forked. 
This fpecies is more frequent in the Archipelago than in any other part of the 
world; the Greeks were very well acquainted with it. Ariftotle, Mian, and Op- 
pian call it ’Og(p & ; Athenasus, ’o ; Ovid, Pliny, and moft other of the Latin wri¬ 
ters, Orphus; Willughby and Ray call it Orpheus veterum, and Gaza, Cernua. 
S P A R I. 
Divifion the Second. 
Thofe which have the teeth in the jaws broad, efpecially at the bafe. 
w 
Sparus unicolor flavefeens, macula nigra annulari ad caudam . 
The yellow Sparus, with a black anmdar mark at the tail. 
MtSttS. 
T HI S is a very elegant fpecies : the head is large and comprefled, and the roftrum 
acute ; the mouth is large, and the teeth are broad and flatted ; the lips are large 
and flefhy, and the eyes ftand at a confiderable diftance : the back is elevated and ridged ; 
the belly is fomewhat flat; the whole body is of an elegant yellow colour, without 
any variegation, except that, near the origin of the tail, there is a beautiful, annular 
fpot of & deep black : the back fin has twenty-fix rays; the pedoral fins have fourteen 
rays each ; the ventral fins have only fix each, and the pinna ani feventeen : the tail is 
large, and is deeply forked. 
This fpecies is frequent in the gulph of Venice j the antients were very well ac¬ 
quainted with it. Ariftotle, Mian, Oppian, and Athenaeus call it . an d from 
them all the Latin writers Sargus; the Venetians, Sargo. 
Sparus 
