CLASS PISCES. 187 



Their swiftness is excessive ; they are good eating. 



Xiphias (proper), Cuv. 

 Have no ventrals : one species only is known. 



The common Sword-fish, {Xiphias gladius, L. ) 



The point flattened horizontally, and sharp, like a 

 broad-sword blade. The sides of the tail are deeply 

 carinated.* It has but one dorsal, which rises both 

 from the front and back, and the middle of which wears 

 out with age, so that it appears to have two. It is 

 one of the largest and best fish of our seas ; they are 

 often met with of fifteen feet or more. It is more 

 common in the Mediterranean than in the ocean. A 

 parasitical crustaceous animal ] penetrates into its 

 flesh, and maddens it to such a degree that it darts 

 itself on the shore 2 . 



Tetrapturus, Rafinesque. 



Have the point of the snout in the shape of a stiletto, 

 and the ventrals consisting of one unjointed bone each. 

 At each side of the insertion of the caudal are two 

 little prominent crests like those of the mackerel. 

 There is one in the Mediterranean, 



Tetrapturus belone, Rafin., Caratt. pi. i. f. 1. 



1 It is called mal a propos by Gmel. Pennatida jtlosa. 



2 N.B. The Xiphias imperator, Bl. Schn. pi. xxi. taken from 

 Duhamel, sect. iv. pi. xxvi. f. 2. is merely a copy from a bad plate 

 given by Aldrovandus (Pise. p. 332.) as that of the common xiphias. 

 The species called imperator must then disappear. 



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