=The John Dories: Zeidæ.=—The singular family of _Zeidæ_, or John Dories, agrees with Chætodonts in the single character of the fusion of the post-temporal with the skull. The species, however, diverge widely in other regards, and their ventral fins are essentially those of the Berycoids. In all the species there are seven to nine soft rays in the ventral fins, as in the Berycoid fishes. Probably the character of the fused post-temporal has been independently derived. The anterior vertebræ in _Zeus_, as in _Chætodon_, are closely crowded together. In the _Zeidæ_ the spinous dorsal is well developed, the body naked or with very thin scales, and provided with bony warts at least around the bases of dorsal and anal fins. The species are mostly of small size, silvery in color, living in moderate depths in warm seas. The best-known genus is _Zeus_, which is a group of shore-fishes of the waters of Asia and Europe. The common John Dory (called in Germany Härings-König, or king of the herrings), _Zeus faber_, abounds in shallow bays on the coasts of Europe. It reaches a length of nearly a foot, and is a striking feature of the markets of southern Europe. The dorsal spines are high, the mouth large, and on the sides is a black ring, said by some to be the mark of the thumb of St. Peter, who is reported to have taken a coin from the mouth of this species. A black spot on several other species is associated with the same legend. [Illustration: FIG. 197.—The John Dory, _Zeus faber_. Linnæus. Devon, England. ] On the coasts of Japan abounds the Matao, or target-fish (_Zeus japonicus_), very similar to the European species and like it in form and color. _Zenopsis nebulosa_ and _Zen itea_ also occur on the coasts of Japan. The remaining _Zeidæ_ (_Cyttus_, _Zenopsis_, _Zenion_, etc.) are all rare species occasionally dredged especially in the Australian region. _Zeus priscus_ is recorded from the Tertiary, and _Cyttoides glaronensis_ from the upper Eocene of Glavus. =Grammicolepidæ.=—The _Grammicolepidæ_, represented by a single species, _Grammicolepis brachiusculus_, rarely taken off the coast of Cuba, is related to the _Zeidæ_. It has rough, ridged, parchment-like scales deeper than long. The ventrals are thoracic, with the rays in increased number, as in _Zeus_ and _Beryx_, with each of which it suggests affinity. CHAPTER XV BERYCOIDEI