BANKS'S OAR-FISH. 



ACANTHOPTERT, 



TJZNIJZDJE. 



BANKS'S OAR-FISH. 



Regalecus Banksii, GRAY, Pr. Zool. Soc. for 1849, p. 80. 

 Gymnetrus Banksii, Cuv. et VALEKC. Poiss. x. p. 365. 



REGALECUS. Generic Characters. Greatly compressed and elongated sword - 

 shaped fishes. Teeth minute or none. Dorsal fin rising on the occiput like a 

 plume. Caudal said to be continuous with the dorsal, and to embrace the 

 point of the tail, but seldom seen entire, and of doubtful form in most 

 species. Ventrals uni-radiate and very long, edged with membrane which 

 expands at the end. Branchiostegals seven. A very long slender tapering 

 stomach, of which three-fourths is csecal ; pancreatic caeca simple and very 

 numerous. Scales microscopical in the nacry epidermis, also scattered osteoid 

 tubercles in the skin. No air-bladder. 



IN the Banksian library at the end of a quarto copy of 

 Pennant's British Zoology, published in 1776, is the fol- 

 lowing manuscript note : u On Saturday, the 23rd day 

 of February 1788, was caught near Newlyn Quay, on 

 the sand at ebb-tide, a fish which measured in length 

 eight feet four inches, in breadth ten inches, and thick- 

 ness two inches and a half; its weight was forty pounds." 

 Another marginal note states further that " a gentleman 



