2G4 msTioPHCRUs, or crested sword-fish. 



found in tlie Indian Ocean. This fisli lias a round 

 solid sword, and not unfrcquently attacks ships, charg- 

 ing them with wonderful velocity ; but, fortunately, the 

 ship generally comes oif best in the fight, as the fish 

 usually manages to leave his weapon behind, sticking 

 fast in the ship. There is a specimen of this fish 

 in the British Museum, with a fin running down its 

 back like a horse's mane, hence the name of *' crested." 

 At the College of Surgeons there is a section of a bow 

 of a South Sea whaler, once H.M.S. Fawn. In it is 

 seen the end of the sword of a sword-fish, measuring one 

 foot in length and five inches in circumference. At one 

 single blow the fish had lunged his sword through and 

 completely transfixed 18^ inches of solid timber. The 

 sword had, of course, broken oft' in the hole, and thus 

 prevented a dangerous leak in the ship. 



In the British Museum is a specimen of a ship's side 

 with the sword of a sword-fish fixed in it — this formidable 

 weapon has penetrated no less than 1 foot 10 inches 

 into the timber. When His Majesty's ship Leopard was 

 repairing, in 1725, after her return from the coast of 

 Guinea, a sword of the sword-fish was found to have 

 gone through the sheathing, 1 inch, next through a 

 8 inch plank, and beyond that 4^ inches into the firm 

 timber, solid oak. It was the opinion of the mechanics 

 that it would require nine strokes of a 25lbs. hammer to 

 drive a bolt of similar size and form to the same depth 

 in the same hull ; 3'ct this was accomplished by a single 

 thrust bv the fish. Sword-fish are said to attack whales : 

 but we want further information on this point. (See 

 Appendix No. 5.) 



In December, 1870, Mr. Thomas Johnson informed 

 me that when the ship Mary Ann Moore, of Dundee, 

 just recently arrived from Bombay, was in dry dock at 



