PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. 419 



line sharp card-like teeth ; none on any other part of the mouth : eyes 

 large, placed high, a little behind the corners of the mouth: nostrils 

 wide, immediately in advance of them : lateral line nearly straight, not 

 very distinct: head and opercle without scales* those on the body, with 

 the exception of the longitudinal row on each side of the abdomen, thinly 

 scattered and not very conspicuous : dorsal very far behind, commencing 

 at three-fourths of the entire length ; first ray only half the length of 

 the second, which is longest ; third and three following ones decreasing ; 

 beyond the sixth, the rays remain low and neatly even to the termination 

 of the fin ; all except the first branched : anal similar to the dorsal, and 

 answering to it: caudal forked: pectorals small, in length scarcely ex- 

 ceeding the depth of the body, attached about half-way down, a little 

 behind the gill-opening ; second ray longest : ventrals still smaller ; their 

 point of attachment exactly half-way between the posterior part of the 

 opercle and the end of the fleshy portion of the tail : 



D. 18; A. 21; C. 19, &c. ; P. 13; V. 7* 



(Colours.) Head, back, and upper part of the sides, fine rich bluish green: 

 gill-covers, and all below the lateral line of the body, bright silvery. 



Common on many parts of the coast, appearing in shoals about April, 

 and remaining till late in Autumn. At the approach of Winter, retires 

 to deep water. From its usually preceding the Mackerel, is sometimes 

 called the Mackerel-Guide. Said to deposit its spawn close to the shore, 

 among rocks and sea-weed. The bones are well known for acquiring 

 a green colour when boiled, 



(18.) Little Gar (Esox Brasiliensis), Couch in Linn. Trans, 

 vol. Xiv. p. 85. 



A doubtful species, taken by Mr. Couch " in the harbour at Polperro, in 

 July 1818, as it was swimming with agility near the surface of the water. 

 About an inch in length : head somewhat flattened at the top ; the upper 

 jaw short and pointed ; the inferior much protruded, being at least as long 

 as from the extremity of the upper jaw to the back part of the gill-covers : 

 the mouth opened obliquely downwards ; but that part of the under jaw 

 which protruded beyond the extremity of the upper, passed straight forward 

 in a right line with the top of the head : body compressed, lengthened, 

 and resembling that of the Gar-Pike (E. Belone) : one dorsal and one 

 anal placed far behind, and opposite to each other : tail straight. Colour 

 of the back bluish green, with a few spots ; the belly silvery." COUCH. 



Mr. Couch conceived that this species might be the Esox Brasiliensis of 

 Linnaeus. It seems, however, more likely to have been the young of 

 some species of Hemiramphus, Cuv. 



(2. SCOMBERESOX, Lac.) 

 101. B. Saurus, Nob. (Saury ', or Skipper.) 



Esox Saurus, Rackett in Linn. Trans, vol. vn. p. 60. tab. 5. Turt. 

 Brit. Faun. p. 105. Neill in Wern. Mem. vol. i. p. 541. Don. 

 Brit. Fish. vol. v. pi. 116. Lacertus vel Saurus, Will. Hist. Pise. 

 p. 232. Scomberesox Saurus, Flem. Brit. An. p. 184. Skipper 

 (Cornubiensium), Ray, Syn. Pise. p. 165. Saury, Penn. Brit. 

 Zool. vol. in. p. 325. pi. 64. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 424. 

 pi. 75. Saury Pike, Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. i. p. 394. 



LENGTH. From fifteen to eighteen inches. NEILL. 

 DESCRIPT. (Form.) " Body long and slender, agreeing precisely with 

 that of the common Gar-Fish : snout subulate, fine, toothless, and slightly 



DD2 



