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Show 114 PISCES. the pelvis is still suspended to the bones of the shoulder. They are allied to the Percoides by the teeth, either small and crowded, or bent back like those of a wool-card, which arm their jaws, vomer, and palate; but theil· snout is convex, and the vertical fins scaly as in many of the Scienoides: the two dorsals are separated, the preoperculum is dentated and the mouth deeply cleft: they are found in all the seas of hot climates. Pol. paradiseus and Pol. quinquarius, L.; Seb. III, xxvii, 2; Edw., 208; Russel, 285. (The Mango Fish.) So called from its fine yellow colour: has seven filaments on each side, the first of which are twice the length of the body. The natatory bladder is wanting in this species, although it exists in all the others: it is the most delicious fish found in Bengal. The filaments of the remaining Polynemi are shot·ter than the body, and their number is one of their specific characters. Some of them are large, and all are considered excellent food.( I) In the succeeding genera the ventrals are altogether behind, and the pelvis no longer adheres to the bones of the shoulder. The first, for a long time, was even confounded with that of the Pikes: it is the genus SPHYR..tENA, Bl. Schn.(2) Large fishes of an elongated form with two separated dorsals, an oblong head, the lower jaw of which projects in a point before the upper one, and part of whose teeth are large, pointed and trenchant. Their preoperculum is nol dentated nor their operculum spinous. There are seven rays to the branchic:e, and numerous pyloric appen· dages. One species is found in the Mediterranean, Sph. vulgaris; Esox sphyrrena, L.; Sphyene spet, Lacep.;(3) Bl. 389, which attains a length of more than three feet; back bronzed; belly silvery; brown spots when young. Sph. picula, Bl. Schn.; Parr., xxxv, 5, 2; Lac., V, ix, s. A (1) Polyn. plebeius, or Emoi', Brouss., nl., 400;-Pol. uronemus, Cuv., Russel, 184;-Pol. tetradactylus, Shaw, Russel, 183;-Pol. sextarius, BI., Schn., pl. iv;Pol. enneadactylus, Vahl. ;-Pol. decadactylus, Bl. 401;-Polynemus americanua, cu;·• which is th~ species improperly named by m., pl. 402,paradisreus, and of wh1ch M. de Lacepede has also Improperly made a particular genus his Polydac· tyle plumier, V, xiv, 3. ,. (2 ) :I<P6pema., dart. (3) Spet, from Espeto, the Spanish name of the Pike. ACANTHOPTERYGII. 115 closely allied American species. The same country produces another, Sph. barracuda, Cuv.; Catesb., II, pl. 1, f. 1. Which be-comes much larger, and is nearly as much dreaded as the shark. P ARALEPis, Cuv. Small fishes resembling the Sphyr::enre, but whose second dorsal is 50 small and frail that it has been considered as adipose.( I) MuLLus, Lin. 'fhis genus is rather closely allied to the Percoides by several anatomical and external details, though the species which compose it present so many remarkable peculiarities that they might readily be made to constitute a separate family. Their dorsals are far apart; the entire body and opercula are covered with large scales which are easity dislodged; the mouth is slightly cleft and but weakly armed with teeth, and above all they are distinguished by two long cirri, which depend from the symphysis of the iower jaw. They are divided into two subgenera. MuLLUs, properly so called. But three rays to the branchire, operculum spineless, and no teeth in the upper jaw; two broad plates of small teeth en pave, on the vomer;(2) no t.atatory bladder. All the species are from Europe. M. barbatus, L.; Le Rouget; Bl. 348, 2. (The Red Surmullet.) Profile nearly vertical; of a fine lively red; celebrated for the flavour of its flesh, and for the amusement it afforded the Romans, who took much pleasure in contemplating the changes of colour it undergoes when dying;(S) most common in the Mediterranean. M. surmuletus, L.; Bl. 57. (The Surmullet.) Larger; profile less vertical; longitudinally striped with yellow; most common in the ocean. UPENEus, Cuv. Teeth in both jaws, but very often none in the palate; a small spine (1) Two or three small species described by Hisso, 2d ed. f. 15 and 16, inhabit the "Mediterranean. (2) En pave, teeth formed like paving stones, and placed as in a pavement • .B.m. Ed. (3) Senec., Quest., Nat., Ill, c. xviii. I \ |
