128 FISHES. 



trates into its flesh, and sometimes renders it so furious that it 

 dashes itself on shore*. 



Tetrapturus, Rafin. 



Have the point of the muzzle shaped like a stilet ; each ventral consist- 

 ing of a single non-articulated blade ; two small salient crests on each 

 side of the base of the caudal as in the Mackerel. 



One species inhabits the Mediterranean, the Aiguille of the Sici- 

 lians, Tetrapturus helone, Rafin., Caratt. pi. i, f. 1. 



Makaira, Lacep. 



Have the stilet-shaped point of the muzzle and two small crests of a 

 Tetrapturus, but the ventrals are wanting. 



But a single specimen has ever been seen, and that was captured 



at the island of Reen in 1802. It is the Mak. noiratre, Lacep.; 



Xiphias nmkaira, Sh.-j- 



IsTioPHORUS, Lacep. — Notistium, Herman. 



The Sails have the beak and caudal crests of a Tetrapturus, but the 

 dorsal is very high and serves them for a sail when swimming; their long 

 and slender ventrals are composed of two rays. 



There are several imperfectly determined species, one of which 

 inhabits the Indian Ocean, Scomber cjladius, Broussonet, Acad, des 

 Sc. 1786, pi. x; Xiphias velifer, Bl. Sclm. ; Xiphias platisterus, 

 Shaw, IV, part II, p. 101, and was long ago described J. 

 All the fishes of this genus attain a very large size. 



Centronotus, Lacep. 



The Centronotes comprise a great genus of Scomberoides characterized 

 by the spines, which, in the Acanthopterygians in general, form the an- 

 terior portion of the dorsal, or a first separate dorsal, but in them are 

 free and unconnected by a common membrane ; they all have ventrals. 

 They are subdivided as follows : 



Naucrates, Rajin. 



The Pilots have free dorsal spines ; body fusiform ; a carina in the 

 sides of the tail as in the Tunny, and two free spines before the anal fin. 



The common species, or the Fanfre of the sailors of Provence ; 



* N.B. The Xiph. iviperator, Bl. Schn., pi. 21, taken from Duliam. Sect. IV, 

 pi. xxvi, f. 2, is merely a copy of a bad figiire given by Aldrovande (Pise. p. 332), for 

 that of the common Xiphias. This species must consequently be suppressed. 



f It yet remains to be seen whether this was not a Tetraptm'us that had lost its 

 ventrals. The fig. of Lacep. IV, xiii, 3, is taken from the rude drawing of a 

 fisherman. 



X It has also been figured byNieuhof, App.; Willoughb. App. pi. V, f. 9, by 

 Renard, I, pi. 34, f. 182, and 11, pi. 54, f. 233; by Valentyn, No. 527. The Gue- 

 bucu, Marcgr. 171, hardly appears to differ from the species of India, Bl. 345; is a 

 falsified copy of a figure of Pr. Maurice, wliich differed much less from that of 

 Marcgrave. 



