73. TRICHIUKID^J. 421 



rather behind base of pectorals. Head 2f ; depth 5. Length of caudal 

 lobes 3J. D. Ill, 38-7 ; A. II, 13-7. Length 8 feet. (Poey.) West In- 

 dies, north to Florida ; perhaps a form of the preceding. 



(Poey, Memorias, ii, 243.) 



211. HISTIOPIIOKUS Lacepede. 

 Sail-Jishes. 



(Istiopliorus Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iii, 1802, 374 : type Istiopliorus gladifer Lac. = 



Scomber gladlus Broussonet.) 



Sword fishes with small teeth on the jaws and palatines, with the ven- 

 tral fins present, of 2 or 3 rays, and with the dorsal fins extremely high, 

 contiguous, its height much greater than that of the body; anal fin 

 divided. Body slender, much compressed, covered with elongate scales. 

 Intestines short, nearly straight; air-bladder sacculate. The sword is 

 usually shorter than in Xipliias, and the lower jaw more developed. 

 The skin is also rougher. Large fishes of the warm seas. (f<mov, sail; 

 j, to bear.) 



665. H. gladius (Brouss.) Gthr. Sail-fish. 



Membrane of dorsal fin with numerous small spots. Dermal produc- 

 tions lanceolate. Upper profile of head descending in a straight line. 

 Snout longer than the rest of the head. Head 4 in total length ; depth 

 7 or 8 in the same. D. 46-7 ; A. 10-7; V. 2. Vertebrae 14+10. (Giin- 

 ther.) Atlantic and Indian oceans ; occasional on our coast. 



(Scomber gladius Brouss. Mem. Acad. Sci. 1786, 454 ; Giintlier, ii, 513 : Histiophorus 

 indicus Cuv. & Val. viii, 293 : Histiophorus americanus Cuv. & Val. viii, 303.) 



FAMILY LXXIIL TRICHIURID^. 



(The Hair-tails.) 



Scombroid fishes with the ventral fins imperfect or wanting and the 

 spinous and soft parts of the dorsal not differentiated. Body extremely 

 elongate, compressed, naked. Mouth wide, the jaws armed with strong 

 unequal teeth. Premaxillaries not protractile. Pseudobranchise pres- 

 ent. Gills 4, a slit behind the fourth ; gill-membranes separate, free 

 from the isthmus. Lateral line present. Dorsal fin very long, low, 

 usually continuous, the rays all similar. Caudal fin small or absent ; if 

 present, forked. Anal fin very long and low, sometimes scarcely rising 

 above the surface of the skin. Ventrals thoracic, rudimentary or want- 

 ting. Vertebrae of abdomen and tail in greatly increased number. Air- 

 bladder present. Pyloric coeca numerous. Genera about 5 ; species 32, 



