145 



XirHIAS. 



The body moderately long and compressed. Upper jaw very long, 

 narrow, firm, and depressed; under jaw much shorter; mouth without 

 teeth. Side of the body near the tail ridged. No ventral fins; and 

 on this account it is classed by Linnaeus in his order of apodal fishes. 



This family has received the name of Sword fishes from their long 

 find narrow projecting snout, which is formed of the premaxillary 

 bones, closely united together, and firmly articulated with the prenasal 

 and maxillary or upper jaw bones. Swordfislies are divided into several 

 genera, two of which, at least, are furnished with ventral fins; but 

 there is only a single species which is known with certainty to visit 

 our coasts. Yet there is some reason to suppose that another species, 

 an inhabitant of the Mediterranean, may also come to the British 

 Channel. Mr. Edward Chirgwin, of Newlyn, near Penzance, who was 

 acquainted with most of the fishes of the western coasts of England, 

 informed me that he had obtained four examples of the Swordtish, in 

 three of which he found an air-bladder, the possession of which is an 

 acknowledged character of the Xiphias gladius, presently to be described. 

 In his other specimen this organ was not found. A fisherman also 

 informed me, that while observing a Swordtish, which sprung out of 

 the water at no great distance from him, besides the pectoral fins, he 

 noticed fins that projected below the belly; a character of the other 

 fish of this family, (Tetrdpterus Belone) which is also found in the 

 Mediterranean, but not yet recorded as British. 



SWORDFISII. 



Swordfish, Jonston; pi. 4. Whjwughuy; p. 161, 



tab. S. 27. 



Xiphias gladius, LlNN^US. CuviER. Blocii; pi. 76. 



Espadon, Bisso. Fleming; British Animals, p. 220. 



Xiphias gladius, Jenyns; Manual, p. 364. 



" Yarrell; British Fishes, vol. i, p. 164. 



" Gunther; Cat. Br. M., vol. ii, p. 511. 



This fish, which is not less remarkable for its habits than 



its form, is seen not unfrequently on our coasts in the summer 



and autumn, and, when with us, it shews itself as one of the 



most active of our visitors, occasionally springing above the 



VOL. II. U 



