Sphyrccna barracuda; its Mor-phology, Habits, and History. 67 



through so many sockets formed in the tips of the upper jaw, while 

 others lodge on either side of the opposite teeth." He seems to be the 

 first to note the presence of teeth on the tongue and of the two lower 

 fangs. 



Fermin (1769) contents himself with saying that the jaws are filled 

 with long and trenchant teeth which nothing can withstand. 



Parra's interesting book on Cuban fishes, published in 1783, contains 

 a pretty fair description of the dental apparatus of the West Indian 

 barracuda, perhaps the best up to date. His figure, however, is crude. 

 See figure 17, plate v. 



His statement reads: 



"In the upper jaw these fish have in front four teeth larger than the others, 

 and posteriorly three or four others also large: on the external lip of this jaw 

 they have a row of teeth small in size. In the lower jaw they have one in the 

 middle, also large, which corresponds to a space which has been noted in the 

 upper jaw. . . . there appear on the margin of the lower jaw, teeth small at 

 first but which soon grow larger and articulate with the large and small teeth 

 of the upper jaw. To their sharp edges and position as described is due the 

 fact that these animals cut like a knife when they bite." 



The most accurate description of the jaws and teeth of fishes of the 

 genus Sphyrcena that I have seen is that by Cuvier and Valenciennes, 

 in the third volume of their Histoire naturelle des poissons (1829). In 

 speaking of the Mediterranean form, S. vulgaris, the common spet, they 

 note that the lower jaw ends in a fleshy point, that the tip of the upper 

 is truncated to adapt itself to the curve of the lower, and that both have 

 membranous Hps outside the teeth. Cuvier and Valenciennes's descrip- 

 tion of the jaws was not read until months after my own specimens 

 had been described, yet the reader of this paper will find the descrip- 

 tions almost interchangeable. They say: 



"The intermaxillaries [premaxillaries?] have along their edge a single row 

 of very small teeth, numerous and sawlike; but at their anterior extremity 

 and a little inside, they each have two large ones, one behind the other, com- 

 pressed, trenchant, a little arched and pointed. A little further back and at 

 some distance from the intermaxillary teeth, but in the same line, there are 

 on each palatine three or four equally large, cutting and pointed, but not 

 arched teeth; then there follow backward along the length of each palatine 

 twelve to fifteen other teeth, very small and shaped like saw teeth, after the 

 fashion of those on the intermaxillaries. 



"On the lower jaw there are two strong cutting teeth, pointed and hooked, 

 which correspond in this anterior region to the four on the upper jaw. The 

 fish often has only one and this gives it the air of never having had but one 

 at the end of the lower jaw. Along each side of this jaw one sees at first sight 

 a series of a score of very small teeth of which the hinder ones become very 

 large and trenchant but not half equaUing the great palatine teeth which 

 are directly above them. When the mouth is closed the lateral teeth of the 

 lower jaw enter into the interval between the intermaxillary and palatine 

 teeth of the upper. The vomer has no teeth." 



