FISTULARIA. '317 



color of its body, forked tail, and oval form. The 

 body is wide and thin, the little teeth, hardly per- 

 ceptible, are sharp, in one row ; the scales are 

 also so small that a glass is required to observe 

 them distinctly ; the fii'st spines of the anal and 

 dorsal fins are hooked forward towards the head -, 

 and instead of ventral fins, there are two slender 

 bones ; and beside, two lateral lines on each side. 



\ 



FAMILY VII. FISTULARID^. 



The characteristic of this family, is a long, semi- 

 transparent tube, formed by the extended eth- 

 moid bones, bones of the partition of the nose, and 

 others of the head, covered with a prolongation of 

 the skin ; and at the extremity is the mouth. The 

 body is long, slender, and delicately formed. 



GEN. FISTULARIA. 



Tobacco-pipe Fish, — Fistularia Tabacaria. 

 Had we not two excellent specimens of this fish, 

 taken near Holmes's Hole, its existence would not 

 have been credited so far to the north of the equa- 

 tor. Those before us, now under examination, 

 are upwards of eighteen inches long — and from 

 the caudal fin, a single hair runs off one foot fur- 



