RIBBON-FISHES. 143 



being in the same proportion to the breadth ; 

 but then it is generally so much compressed, 

 that these creatures have acquired the popular 

 names of Riband-fish, Lath- or Deal-fish, &c. 

 The body, indeed, is often not thicker, except in 

 its middle, than that of a sword ; and, being 

 covered with the richest silver, and of great 

 length, the undulating motion of these fishes in 

 the sea, must be resplendent and beautiful beyond 

 measure. But these, and all the wonders of the 

 mighty deep, are almost hidden from the eye of 

 man. These meteoric fishes appear to live in the 

 greatest depths ; and it is only at long intervals, 

 or after a succession of tempests, that a solitary 

 individual is cast upon the shore, with its deli- 

 cate body torn and mutilated by the element, or 

 by the rocks. Such may be truly said of nearly 

 all the genera contained in the tribe, the only 

 exception being those of Cepola and Ophidium,^ 

 which have a more compact and robust organi- 

 zation, and habitually frequent the same moderate 

 depths as the generality of edible fish."" 



Genus Cepola. (Linn.) 



The Band-fishes proper are distinguished by 

 having the body moderately lengthened, com- 

 pressed, very gradually diminishing in height 

 from the head to the tail ; the head short, 

 rounded, the mouth opening obliquely upwards ; 

 the dorsal and anal fins very long, united to the 

 caudal ; all the spines of the dorsal flexible ; pecto- 



* This genus, however, is by Cuvier arranged in the Order of 

 Soft-finned Fishes, among the Eels : by Prince Bonaparte, among the 

 Cods. 



