FISHES AND FISHING. 327 



lower one longest ; mouth, wide ; teeth, large, coni- 

 cal, trenchant, sharp, the palate set with smaller ones. 

 First dorsal fin very long, tail without a lateral keel ; 

 skin, rather naked. Back, blackish blue, with me- 

 tallic lustre ; sides and belly, silvery. Length, often 

 exceeding three feet. 



This voracious fish is caught with the hook in im- 

 mense numbers almost all the year round, but more 

 frequently during summer. It is very strong and 

 ferocious, and is despatched, after being pulled on 

 board, by blows on the head, with a kind of knob- 

 kierie. Its flesh is highly prized by the majority of 

 the colonists, who also salt and dry it for home con- 

 sumption, and as an article of trade. 



28. LicHiA Amia. Cuv. and Val. (Leervisch.) 

 Body, compressed, oval, nearly rhomboid: broadest 

 in the middle, and attenuated at both ends; mouth, 

 moderately large; jaws, of equal length; front teeth 

 in a number of rows, small, but sharply pointed, and 

 closely set; a line of large teeth on each side of the 

 palate. Dorsal fins, two, first one with eight de- 

 tached prickles, the foremost of which is turned for- 

 ward ; anal fin shorter than the dorsal ; tail without 

 lateral keels. Head, back, and upper parts of the 

 sides, steel blue, lower parts silvery, shaded with 

 faint brown ; fins, yellowish ; belly, pure white, 

 Length, from two to three feet. 



