AULOSTOMUS. FISHES. 489 



and slender ; fins small, one dorsal fin placed opposite the 

 anal, and between the lobes of the tail a filament sometimes 

 as long as the body ; seven rays in the branchial membrane. 



F. tabacaria, Lin. Slender Fistularia. Body smooth., scales imper- 

 ceptible, of a liver colour, marked above and on the sides by a row 

 of blue spots and greenish ones intermixed ; tail bifid, with a long 

 bristle in the centre tapering to a point. 3 to 4 feet long. In- 

 habits S. American seas. Shaw, v. pi. 107- 



Gen. 166. AULOSTOMUS, Lacep. Fistularia, Lin. 

 Jaws narrow, much elongated and tubular ; body much elon- 

 gated, scaly ; a row of free spines in front of the dorsal fin ; 

 tail terminated by an ordinary fin. 



The tube of the snout is shorter in this than the preceding genus, and the body 

 less slender. 



A. Chinensis, Cuv. Body pale reddish brown, with several deep or 

 blackish spots, and three or four pale longitudinal stripes on each 

 side ; fins pale yellow. 3 to 4 feet long. Inhabits Indian seas 

 Block, pi. 388. 



Gen. 167. CENTRISCUS, Lin. 



Body oval or oblong, compressed on the sides and carinated be- 

 low ; mouth extremely small and cleft obliquely ; first dorsal 

 fin spinous, the first spine long, and supported by an appa- 

 ratus with larger scales ; ventral fins small, behind the pec- 

 torals. 



C. scolopax, Lin. Snout greatly elongated ; body covered with nu- 

 merous small scales ; colour rufous brown above, paler beneath, 

 silvery on the sides; first dorsal fin subtriangular, the first spine 

 strong and serrated. 4 to 8 inches long. Inhabits Mediterra- 

 nean and Indian seas. Shaw, v. pi. 181. 



Gen. 168. AMPHISILE, Klein. Centriscus, Lin. 

 Back mailed with long scaly plates, of which the anterior spine 

 of the first dorsal fin has the appearance of being a continua- 

 tion. 



A. scutatum, Cuv. Upper part of the body formed into a kind of 

 mail, divided into broad segments to the number of twelve on each 

 side, and terminating in a projecting point at the end of the back ; 

 head oblong, terminating in a lengthened tubular snout. 6 or 8 

 inches long. Inhabits Indian seas. Sharv, v. pi. 181. 



A. velitare, Cuv. Body silvery yellowish gray on the back, which 

 is mailed by a rhombic shield for half its length, marked by four 

 oblique lines ; a strong recumbent serrated spine in the middle ; 

 tail slightly rounded. 2 inches long. Indian seas. -Shaw, v. 460. 



