PILOT-FISH. 173 



hundred Pilot-fish accompanied a vessel from Sicily into Cat- 

 water ; but they were not taken. 



In 1818 a Pilot-fish was captured while entangled in some 

 sea-weed in Dartmouth Harbour. 



The usual length of the Pilot is about twelve inches : the 

 stomach has been found full of small fish : the flesh is deli- 

 cate, and said to resemble that of the Mackerel. The fin- 

 rays are, 



D. IV. 26 : P. 18 : V. 1 +5 : A. II. 16 : C. 17. 



The nose is rounded ; the under jaw rather the longest ; the 

 diameter of the eye one-fifth of the whole head, and placed 

 at one-third of the distance from the nose to the end of the 

 operculum ; irides golden yellow ; nostrils placed near the 

 line of the profile, and rather nearer the point of the nose 

 than the eye : mouth not very deeply divided ; teeth very 

 small, numerous, forming a band on each jaw ; a narrow band 

 on each palatine bone ; one single, short, but strong tooth, 

 on the front of the vomer, and one on the tongue ; the 

 tongue large, thin, and free : ventral fins attached to the 

 abdomen by a membrane through one-third of their length. 

 The dorsal and anal fins end on the same line. 



The body is covered with small oval scales, except one 

 triangular spot above the base of the pectoral fin ; the cartila- 

 ginous keel-like projection on each side the fleshy portion of 

 the tail reaches from the origin of the caudal rays forward 

 beyond the line of the base of the last rays of the dorsal and 

 anal fins. 



The general colour of the fish is a silvery greyish blue, 

 darkest on the back, much paler on the belly ; the five dark 

 blue transverse bands pass round the whole of the body : 

 there are also indications of two other bands, one on the 

 head, the other on the tail : pectoral fins clouded with white 

 and blue, ventrals nearly black. 



