366 
FISHES. 
Genus 123.—ATROPUS.— Cuvier. 
Generic Character _Forehead sloping; snout very short; 
lower jaw projecting; body compressed; one dorsal fin, provided 
with three spines, and having part of the soft rays prolonged in¬ 
to filaments, and two free spines in front of it; lateral line ca- 
rinated towards the tail. 
Genus 124. —TRAC HICHTHYS.— Shaw. 
Generic Character. — Head rounded in front; mouth wide ? 
with thick set numerous teeth ; branchial membrane with four 
rugose rays ; one elevated and acute dorsal fin ; sides, upper and 
under part of the tail with ample strongly carinated scales, with 
similar ones between the ventral and anal fins. 
Genus 125. — C H R Y S O T O S US .—Lacepede. 
Generic Character. — Forehead produced, and rounded; snout 
short; mouth destitute of teeth ; branchial membrane with six 
rays ; body and tail compressed, ovate, without visible scales ; 
anterior portion of the dorsal fin elevated and acute, the middle 
part small; tail carinated on the sides ; ventrals placed farther 
behind than the pectorals. 
Genus 126.—XIPHIAS.— Linnceus. 
Generic Character. —Snout lengthened, and resembling the 
blade of a sword ; jaws provided with strong asperities in place 
of teeth; body elongated, rounded, with scarcely perceptible 
scales; pectoral fins long and acute ; dorsal fin with two or 
three spinous rays ; no ventrals ; tail furnished with a projecting 
Carina on each side. 
Genus 127.—IS TIOPHORU S.— Lacepede. 
Generic Character. — Upper jaw elongated in the form of a 
sword-blade; ventral fins with two slender and greatly length¬ 
ened rays; first dorsal fin large and elevated. 
Istiophorus platypterus .— The Broad-Finned Sword-Fish. 
Plate LXXX1 1. fig. 8. 
Back, head, fins, and tail, lead-gray; silvery-blue beneath. 
Twenty feet long. Inhabits the Tropical seas. 
