102 11ROAD-FINNED SWORDF1SH. 



allied to the common Swordfish, but differs in other 

 striking particulars. It is found of the length of 

 twenty feet, and even sometimes much longer. It 

 was first described by Maregrave in his Natural 

 History of Brasil, who has illustrated his description 

 by a figure, which though not possessing any degree 

 of elegance, is yet sufficient to ascertain the animal. 

 The general colour of this fish is a silvery blueish 

 white, except on the back, head, tail, and fins, 

 which in the living animal are of a deep-blue, fading 

 into brown in the dried specimens, one of which is 

 preserved in the British Museum, to which collec-* 

 tion it was presented by Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. 

 President of the Royal Society. Some years ago 

 a letter was sent to the President from the captain 

 of an East-Indiaman, accompanied by an account 

 of an astonishing instance of the powerful strength 

 which this fish occasionally exerts; the bottom of 

 the ship having being pierced through by a fish of 

 this species in such a manner that the sword or 

 snout was completely imbedded or driven through 

 almost to its base ; the animal having been killed 

 by the violence of the effort. A most singularly 

 fortunate circumstance for the preservation of the 

 vessel, which, had the fish been enabled to have 

 withdrawn its snout, must inevitably have foundered 

 in consequence of the leak. The wood, together 

 with the sword imbedded in it, is now in the British 

 Museum. 



This fish is found not only in the Brasilian and 

 East-Indian seas, but also in the Northern ocean. 

 It is said to be a great enemy to whales, witlt 



