SWORD-FISH. 2G1 



colours arc most vivid and the fish in finest order. 

 Eed Mullets seldom or ever come into market with their 

 scales on. Mr. H. Lee informs me that the fishermen 

 scrape off the scales with the thumb nail directly 

 the fish are caught. The bare skin then becomes a 

 brilliant red. The average size is from twelve to 

 fifteen inches in length. Sometimes they are caught 

 in great profusion, and at others are very scarce. In 

 August, 1819, 5,000 were taken in one night in Wey- 

 mouth Ba3^ The flesh is firm and of good flavour, 

 somewhat resembling the meat of the lobster, and 

 is reckoned easy of digestion. These fish are destitute 

 of an air-bladder. Their food appears to be selected 

 from among the crustaceous and molluscous animals. 

 They are furnished with two long barbules or feelers 

 hanging from the under jaw, appendages not uncommon 

 in other fishes. These cirri, as they are called, are 

 organs of touch. 



SWORD-FISH. 



Acanthoptcri. Xiphicedee. 



(Xiphias gladius.) 



Oerman : Der Schwertfisch, Der Hornfiscli. French : UEspadon. 

 Dutch: De Zicaardvisch. Danish: Svardfisk. Italian: 

 Pesce Spada. 



A FINE specimen of the Sword-fish w^as caught at Leigh, 

 near Southend, in November, 1866, the well-known 

 <iuarters of the Thames shunting boats. Mr. Towell, 

 fishmonger, 33, Strand, allow^ed me to make a cast of 

 it. The fish had been seen about in the river for some 

 days. The dimensions of this fish were — length, includ- 

 ing sword, 8 feet 8|- inches ; depth, 1 foot 7i inches ; 

 length of head, 1 foot 3 inches ; eye, 3 inches ; dorsal 



