226 acantuopterygii. 



TJf. FAMILY OF RIBAND-SHAPED FORM, 

 TiENIOIDiE. 



Rt'presentatives in British Fauna. — Gen. 5. Sp. 5. 



Gen. 32. Lepidopus. Sp. o5. L. argyreus. Scabbard-fish. 

 33. Trichiurus. . 56. T. lepturus. Silvery Hair-taiL 

 31. Trachypterus. 57. T.Bogmarus.\Si&^mz,eT. 



35. Gymnetrus. 58. G^. ^ait^-iwsM. Hawkins' Gyratje- 



trus. 



36. Cepola . . 59. C. rubescens. Red Band-fish. 



This extraordinary Family, as exhibited in the 

 Regne Animal., is by no means a large one, consist- 

 inor, as more amply illustrated in L'Hist, Nat. des 

 Poissons, of but seven genera and twenty -six species. 

 It is nearly allied to the preceding ; but the form 

 is very much elongated, and more flattened sidew^ise ; 

 it is also clad with minute scales. Concerning it, 

 Mr. Swainson remarks, " It contains the most 

 singular and extraordinary fishes in creation. The 

 form of the body, (vhen compared to fishes better 

 known, is mtich hKe that of an Eel, the length be- 

 ing in the same proportion to the breadth ; but then 

 it is generally so much compressed, that these crea- 

 tu!('s have acquired the popular name of Rihand- 

 Jish., Lath., or Deal-Jish. The body, indeed, is often 

 not thicker, except in its middle, than is a sword ; 

 and beinff covered with the richest silver, and of 

 ^reat length, the undulating motions of these fishes, 

 in the sea, must be resplendent and beautiful be- 



