Class IV. SWORD FISH, 163 



The fnout is the upper jaw, produced to a Snout, 

 great length, and has fome refemblance to a fword, 

 from whence the name It is comprefTed at the 

 top and bottom, and fharp at the point. The 

 under jaw is four times as more as the upper, but 

 likewife fharp pointed. The mouth is defticute of 

 teeth. 



The body is (lender, thickeft near the head, 

 and growing lefs and lefs as it approaches the 

 tail. 



The fkin is rough, but very thin : the color 

 of the back is dufky, of the belly filvery. 



The dorfal fin begins a little above the gills, and 

 extends almoft to the tail : it is higheft at the be- 

 ginning and the end, but very low in the middle : 

 a little above the tail, on each fide, the fkin rifes 

 and forms two triangular protuberances, not unlike 

 the fpurious fins of the tunny. 



The pectoral fins are long, and of a fey the- like 

 form, and their firft rays the longeft. 



The anus is placed at the diftance of one-third 

 part of the body from the tail ; beneath are two 

 anal fins. 



The tail is exactly of the fhape of a crefcent. 



M 2 Ssct 



