CLEVER FISHES. 535 



a small fish of some 70 or 80 pounds weight was the malefactor. They 

 abound in the Mediterranean, and a hunt after, with the harpooning 

 and slaying of the xiphias, is usually a work of time and much excite- 

 ment. Akin to the sword-fish in their offensive capabilities are the 

 saw-fishes, though their weapons resemble rather such as are used by 

 certain savage tribes than civilized saws. Nor does the word " saw " 

 correctly describe them. They are terrible weapons, however, and the 

 Indians who edge their spears with shark's teeth almost reproduce 

 artificially the weapon of the saw-fish. The largest of them, JPristls 

 antlquorum, is commonly found to grow to the length of 15 or 16 feet. 

 The elongated snout is set upon either side with sharp spikes, thickly 

 dispersed, and somewhat resembling the teeth of the shark. It forms 

 a most fearful weapon, as the poor whale has good reason to know, to 

 whom it is also a deadly enemy. There are several members of the 

 saw-fish tribe ; one of the most peculiar is the JPristls clrratus, or cir- 

 rated saw-fish, of New South Wales. In the saw of this fish the teeth 

 are irregular, one long and three short ones being placed alternately. 



The weapon of the Narwhal which, by-the-by, is not strictly a 

 fish, but a member of the Cetacea, found chiefly in the Arctic seas is 

 the most perfect specimen of a very complete and efficient spear, being 

 composed of the hardest ivory, and tapering gradually to a point. But, 

 what the special purpose of this spear is, is not known ; whether it is 

 used as a means of attack upon its enemies, or to secure its prey, or 

 whether it is a mere implement for digging a passage through opposing 

 ice-floes, as is often supposed, we can but conjecture. It is a very sin- 

 gular fact that the spear of the narwhal is always situated on one side 

 of the nose, chiefly the left ; it does not project from the middle of the 

 head ; it is no long snout or horn, 1 but an elongated tooth or tusk. 

 The narwhal, when young, has the germs of but three teeth. Some- 

 times two of these become developed and grow out spiked tusks, point- 

 ing in divergent directions ; oftener, however, but one is the mature 

 result. Whatever the use of this formidable spear may be, we know 

 that it is very excellent and valuable ivory ; but, for any minute infor- 

 mation as to the natural history of the animal itself, we should have to 

 rely chiefly upon the knowledge of the Kamtchatkans, which amounts 

 to little more than that it is good eating, produces much oil, and is 

 possessed of a valuable tooth. 



Of daggers various we have many specimens, more particularly 

 among the family of the Raiidse ; a and fearful weapons they are, 

 some of them being serrated or barbed, and capable of inflicting ter- 

 rible lacerated wounds. In most of these fish the dagger, or spine, is 

 situated on and some way down the elongated tail ; and, as the animal 



1 These spears were brought home formerly and imposed upon the credulous as the 

 horn of the unicorn. 



3 There are three species of rays in this country which have these weapons the Sting 

 Ray, the Eagle Ray, and the Horned Ray. 



