160 



CIRRATED SAW-FISH. 



Pristis cirratus, Latham. 



PLATE XXVIIL 



P. cirratus, Lath Trans. Lin. Soc. ii. p. 28 L fig. 28. 



A NATIVE of the New Holland seas, and apparently 

 yet not very common ; its principal characteristic is 

 the presence of two cirri on each side of the snout 

 or saw. The spines of the saw are irregular, three 

 smaller or shorter ones being placed between each 

 larger. The mouth, where the true teeth are 

 placed, is furnished with five rows of minute, but 

 very sharp teeth. The colour is a pale brown, 

 shading below to white. 



The sivord -fishes present another formidable ar- 

 mature, which is capable of being employed with 

 immense force. They have been separated into 

 two subdivisions, both armed with the elongated 

 snout or sword, as it is popularly called, but difi'er- 

 ing in the want of ventral, and in the forward posi- 

 tion of the dorsal fins, and to them has been appHed 

 the name of Xiphlas, or sword-fish; while the 

 others, by which we shall illustrate the form, has 

 the dorsal fin large, while the ventral fins are re- 

 presented by long and slender filaments. Another 

 name has been given to them, the 



