66 THE MA.CKAREL TRIBE. 



remark, thai a forked tail is always accompanied with a pec- 

 toral fin that is (more or less) pointed, which observation, 

 although not in every case correct, is nearly so; and taken 

 together with the number of lesser fins on the hinder parts 

 of the body, the fishes thus furnished are rendered the best 

 qualified of all the tribes of the ocean to pass rapidly through 

 a large extent of space, and suddenly to change their course 

 as hope or fear may render expedient. 



This family was regarded as a single genus by Linnseus, and 

 was arranged by him in his Thoracic order; but by Cuvier 

 it has been divided into several genera, of which we shall 

 take notice as we proceed to describe the separate species. 



