ZEUS, in ichthyology, a genus belonging to the order of thoracici. The head is compressed, and declines, the upper lip being vaulted over by a transverse membrane; the tongue is subulated; there are seven rays in the gill membrane; and the body is compressed.—The species are four; of which the most remarkable is the faber, or doree. It is of a hideous form, its body is oval, and greatly compressed on the sides; the head large; the snout vastly projecting; the mouth very wide; the teeth very small; the eyes great, the irides yellow; the lateral line oddly distorted, sinking at each end, and rising near the back in the middle; beneath it on each side is a round black spot. The tail is round at the end, and consists of 15 branched rays. The colour of the sides is olive, varied with light blue and white, and while living is very resplendent, and as if gilt; for which reason it is called the doree. The largest fish we have heard of weighed 12 pounds.
Superstition hath made the doree rival to the had-dock, for the honour of having been the fish out of whose mouth St. Peter took the tribute-money, leaving on
on its sides those incontestable proofs of the identity of the fish, the marks of his finger and thumb. It is rather difficult at this time to determine on which part to decide the dispute; for the doree likewise asserts an origin of its spots of a similar nature, but of a much earlier date than the former. St Christopher, in wading through an arm of the sea, having caught a fish of this kind en passant, as an eternal memorial of the fact, left the impressions on its sides to be transmitted to all posterity. In our own country it was very long before this fish attracted our notice, at least as an edible one. We are indebted to the late Mr Quin for adding a most delicious fish to our table, who overcoming all the vulgar prejudices on account of its deformity, has effectually established its reputation. This fish was supposed to be found only in the southern seas of this kingdom, but it has been discovered last year on the coast of Anglesea. Those of the greatest size are taken in the Bay of Biscay, off the French coasts; they are also very common in the Mediterranean: Ovid must therefore have styled it rarus faber, on account of its excellency, not its scarcity.