FISTULAR1A. 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 first 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. FISTULARHXZE. 



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- 



