TV//: IU..H-K n <u;r Ml 



fish ni:iy hnxe -truck them b\ accident, ami m>t in ;i de|il>erate charge The Sword-fish 

 generally go in |>airs. 



Tli.-' food f this creature is rather varied, consisting ..f cuttle tish, especially the squid. 

 nnl of small fish. s. neither of wliirh animals would in any way fall \ictims in i! I. It 



certainly has l^'ii said that the wea|H>n i-. used for iraii-tixini: tin- Hat fish as they lit- on the 

 l**i of the -.'-a. I'ul this assertion does m.l api-ar to !" worthy "f credit 



The \oung and adult s|.ecimens arc \ery different from each other. In the young, the 

 \*t,\\ is rovm-d with projecting tulerc|es. which gradually disapjirar a.s it increases in sice, 

 and when it lias attained the length ( ,f three feet. the\ an- seldom to be seen. Those on the 

 alMloinen i-ernain longer than the others. The dors.il tin extends in the \onng s|M>cimens fnun 

 the l.a.-k ..f the head to the root of the tail. lnt ihe membranes and spines ,,f its centre are so 

 extrcmeh delicate, that they are WM.II rnU..*! away, and the adult s|-ciinen then apltearn 

 to ha\e tw.i dul-x;il lill^. 



The rolor of the >word M\ i> liluish-hliifk alx>\e. and silv.-rx white Mow. The whole 

 |MH|\ is roiiirli. and the hteral line is almost invisible. The usual length of the Sword-fish is 

 from ten to twel t-nt s|H-cimens have U-en seen which much e\c.-.-<l those dimensions. 



A few examples of the Sword-tish have been raptured tint mKasunnl se\i-n fet in length. 



The Sword-fishes, family Xi/>/iii</<r, have three ^eneri and aMut t'ne s|>>des. They are 

 large, strong fishes, and ail good for food. Off Portland. Me., they frequent in considerable 

 nmnlM-rs. The tish.-rmen here find it protitabh- to tit out for their capture. The vessels are 

 provided with resting lirs on the Ixiw-sprif, and a latx is always at hand on the bar. When 

 the Sword I'lsli is s-cn the fisherman haMeiis t<. his bar. and. leaning over it. to make all 

 lirm. he hurls the spear, and usually secures his pri/-. The handle slips out of the iron sp>ar, 

 and the line which is fust to the spear-head, serves to haul the fish on board. The flesh 

 of the Sword tish is very excellent . rather dry, but the union of the ttavor of mackerel and 

 halibut renders it quite a good food-fish. 



THK SAILOR SWOKH-KIMI is still of much more rurioun aspect, It is a representative of a 

 virenns of Sword-fishes that have U-.-M separat.-d from the pn>vious genus on accountof the very 

 great height of the dorsal fin. 



The Sailor-Sword fish is sometimes mll^l the F\\n-n or SMI. MSJI. :md is said to 

 p.,-x,.-. the pow.-r "f lai-in- "i l..'A.-!iii- th. . normoiis dorsal tin just as a huly o|-ns or clos,-N 

 her fan. Sir .1. Ktm-rsoii T.-nneiit mentions this fish in the following terms: "In the seas 

 around Ceylon, Sword-fishes sometimes attain to the length of twenty feet, and are 

 distinguished by the unusual height of the dorsal fin. Those both of the Atlantic and 

 Mediterranean ;>O8BOSB this fin in it* full proiwrtions only during the earlier stages of their 

 growth. Its dimensions ,-\eri then are much smaller than in the Indian sjxTies; and it is 

 a curious fact, that it gradually decreases as the fish approaches to maturity ; whereas in the 

 seas around Ceylon, it retains its full si throughout the entire i>eriod of life. They raise it 

 above the water while dashing along the surface in their rapid course, and there is no reason 

 to doubt that it occasionally acts as a sail " 



In this genus the ventral fins are reduced to one. two. or three spines, which in the present 

 species are two in number. The tail is very deeply forked, and the enormous dorsal fin is a 

 uniform deep blue. 



WE now arrive at the large family of the Gobies, which include many curious fish. 



The HI.AI K (ionv. sometimes known as the !;..< K-KISII. is a moderately common example 

 of the enormous genus to which it Mongs, and which contains more than a hundred and fifty 

 authenticated species. The members of this genus may easily be recognized by the peculiar 

 form of the ventral fins, which are united together so as to form a hollow disc, by which they 

 can attach themselves to rocks or ston-s at pleasure. In fact, this disc, although differing in 

 shape, acts on exactly the same principle as that of the sucking-fish. 



The Black Goby prefers the rocky to the sandy coasts, and may l found in the pools 

 left by the retreating tide. Some naturalists deny that the disc is used for adhesion, but I 



