GILTHEAD, a genus of fishes belonging to the order of thoracici. See Ichthyology Index. The sparus auratus, or gilthead, was well known to the Romans, who did not esteem them unless they were fed with Lucrine oysters, as Martial informs us,

Non omnis laudem pretiumque Aurata meretur, Sed qui folus erit concha Lucrina citus.

Lib. xiii. Ep. 92.