130 ORDER ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



of them are large, and all are considered good 



eating '. 



In the following genera the ventral fins are alto- 

 gether behind, and the pelvis is not attached to the 

 shoulder. 



The first of these genera had for a long time been 

 confounded with that of the pikes ; this is the genus 



Sphyrjena 2 , Bl., Sch. 



Large, elongated fish, with two distinct dorsal fins, 

 and the head oblong, with the lower jaw coming to a 

 point in front of the upper; part of the teeth are 

 large, pointed, and trenchant. The preoperculum has 

 no denticulations, nor has the operculum any spines ; 

 there are seven rays to the gills, and numerous ap- 

 pendices to the pylorus. 



We have one species in the Mediterranean, 



Esox sphyrcena, Lin., Sphyrene spet, 3 Lacep., Bl. 889. 

 Which attains to more than three feet in length, and 



1 Polyn. plebcius, or Emo'i, Brouss., Bl. 400. Pol. uronemus, Cuv., 

 Russell 184. Pol. tetradactylus, Shaw, Russel 183. Pol. sex- 

 tarius, Bl. Schn. pi. iv. Pol. enneadactylus, Vahl. Pol. decadac- 

 tylus, Bl. 401. Pol. Amer'wanus, Cuv., which is the Polyneme, 

 improperly named paradisseus hy Bl. pi. 402., and of which M. de 

 Lacep. has improperly also made a particular genus, his Polydactyle 

 plumier, v. 14. 3. 



2 2(j)vpa.iva, a dart. 



5 Espeto, a spit in Spanish. The name is given in allusion to its 

 long and sharp form. 



