114 



SAURY PIKE. 



Esox Saunas. E. anguilliformis subfuscus, dbdomine argent ea, 



maxillis subulatis cequalibus, pinna dorsali analique in pinnula* 



versus caudam continuatis. 

 Brownish Eel-shaped Pike, with silvery abdomen, slender 



tapering jaws of equal length, and the dorsal and anal fin 



continued into pinnules towards the tail. 

 Saurus. Rondel, pise. p. 232. 

 Saury Pike. Penn. Brit. Zuol. 



THE Saury Pike may be considered as a com- 

 paratively rare species, and seems to have been 

 first described by Rondeletius, who mentions it 

 among the Mediterranean fishes, under the title 

 of Saurus. Its general length is about a foot : 

 the body eel-shaped, growing suddenly taper as it 

 approaches the tail : the snout is about an inch 

 long, slender, and with the jaws produced, like 

 those of the Gar, but both of equal length, and 

 the upper mandible is a little incurvated : the 

 pectoral fins are small ; the ventral still smaller : 

 the dorsal and anal shallow, situated near the tail, 

 and are each continued into the appearance of six 

 or seven iinlets above and below, like those in the 

 genus Scomber, as far as the base of the tail, which 

 is deeply forked. The colour of the whole animal 

 is dusky above, and silvery beneath ; or with equal 

 propriety, it might be said to be silvery, with dusky 

 or blueish-brown back. According to Rondeletius 

 it resembles the Mackrel in taste, being in that 

 respect much allied to the Gar. Mr. Pennant in- 



