Seuies 1. Order 2. MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 303 



the sides of the untler-jaw, a row of long and pointed teeth. The muzzle is oblong-, obtuse, broad, and depressed. 

 Tliey have but one dorsal placed over the anal ; a large forward stomach, continued in a slender intestine with 

 two flexures, but without cceca ; and their air-bladder is very large. 



E. luciiis, the Common Pike, Jack, Fickarel, Gedd, and many other names, is well known to evei^ one as the 

 most voracious and destructive of fishes, but its flesh is good, and easy of digestion. [Besides its fame, as an eater 

 and as being eaten, Shakspeare has thrown a ray of glory around the Pike by representing it as the " White Lucie" 

 in the armorial bearings of the immortal Justice Shallow. In some of the still waters of Britain, Pike of thirty- 

 four pounds' weight have been killed. It is generally said that, notwithstanding the havoc which the Pike com- 

 mits among smaller fishes, it will not stand the attack of a Trout of equal weight, the immense velocity of the 

 latter fish in swimming giving it a decided advantage]. Besides this, two species have been noticed in the fresh 

 waters of North America,— £. reticularis, with a net-work of brownish lines; and E. estor, sprinkled with round 

 blackish spots. 



Galaxius, have no visible scales on the body. The opening of the mouth is small, with middle-sized pointed 

 teeth in both jaws, the margin of the upper being formed by the intermaxillary, and a few strong crooked teeth on 

 the tongue. There are pores in the sides of the head ; and the position of the dorsal and anal fius, and also the 

 digestive organs, are like those of the Pikes. 



Alepocephalus. Head naked, body with broad scales, mouth small, teeth minute and crowded, eyes very large, 

 and eight gill-rays. A. rostratus, the only known species, is found in the depths of the Mediterranean. 



Microstoma. Snout very short, lower jaw beyond the upper, jaws and intermaxillaries with very small teeth, 

 three broad and flat gill-rays, eyes large, body long, lateral hue with firm scales, a single dorsal a little in rear of 

 the ventrals, and digestive organs as in the Pike. The only known species (S. microstoma of Risso) inhabits the 

 Mediterranean. 



Utomias. Snout extremely short, mouth cleft almost to the gills, gill-ray reduced to a little membranous 

 lamina, and maxillaries fixed in the cheek ; intermaxillaries, palatals, mandibles, and tongue, armed with long and 

 crooked teeth, widely set ; body elongated ; ventrals far back ; dorsal over the anal, and both near the caudal. Two 

 species were discovered in the Mediterranean by Risso. Both are black, w ith rows of silvery spots on the belly. 

 E. boa, Risso, has no cirri ; S. barbatus, has a long and stout one, attached to the symphisis of the lower jaw. 



Chaiiliodus, resemble the former, but have two teeth in each jaw, across the other jaw when the mouth is shut ; 

 the dorsal between the pectorals and ventrals, which last are not so far back as in Stomias ; the first dorsal ray 

 tenninates in a filament. C. Sloani, the only known species, has been found only at Gibraltar. It is about a foot 

 and a half long, and of a deep green colour. 



Halanx, have the head depressed, gill-lids folded downwards, and four flat gill-rays ; the jaws short and pointed, 

 each furnished with a row of crooked teeth ; the upper jaw formed entirely by intermaxillaries without peduncles; 

 the lower jaw is a little lengthened at the symphisis by a small appendage carrying the teeth; the palate aud the 

 inner part of the mouth are entirely smooth, and there is not even a lingual projection. 



Belone. This genus have the upper jaw — which, as well as the under one, is extended into a long beak — com- 

 posed of the intermaxillaries, aud both jaws furnished with small teeth, without any others in the mouth, except 

 in the pharynx, where they are arranged like a pavement. The body is very long, and covered with scales which 

 are scarcely visible, except one keeled row on each side, near the under edge of the fish. They are remarkable for 

 the bright green colour of their bones. One species — the Common Gar-fish, Sea Pike, Mackerel Guide, Green- 

 bone, and a number of other names — is not imcommou on some parts of the British shores, and as far north as 

 the Arctic regions. It is of a greenish blue on the upper part, fading gradually into silvery white on the belly. 

 TTiere are several other species, some of which are said to attain the length of eight feet, and bite very severely. 

 Notwithstanding the colour of the bones, which renders them repulsive to many persons, the flesh of these fishes 

 IS not unwholesome. 



Scomberesox, the Mackerel Pike, or Saury Pike, resembles the former in the length of its snout, its general 

 shape, and its scales; but the last rays of the dorsal aud anal are detached, and form spurious fius on the upper 

 and under sides, like those of the Mackerel. They are found in the Mediterranean ; [and the Common Saury is 

 generally distributed along the British coasts, as far to the northward as the Orkneys]. They are gregarious 

 fishes ; and are followed and preyed upon by Porpoises, and also by the Tunny, and other large members of the 

 Mackerel family. 



Hemiramphus, resembles the Gar-fish in its general characters, but has the upper jaw short, and the lower one 

 drawn out into a long beak, without teeth. They are found chiefly in the seas of warm countries, though a stray 

 one is occasionally met with in the south of England. 



Exocetus, [literally, " Fishes out of the water"]. These are at once distinguished from all the rest of the Abdo- 

 minal Malacopterygii by the immense size of their pectoral fins, which are sufficiently large for supporting them 

 for a few moments in the air. Tlieir head and body are scaly, with a line of keeled scales along each flank ; their 

 head is flat above, and laterally; the dorsal over the anal ; the eye is large ; the intermaxillaries without peduncles, 

 and found in the margin of the upper jaw ; both jaws have small pointed teeth, and the pharynx pavement teeth ; 

 they have ten gill-rays; their air-bladder is very large; their intestine straight, and without coeca; and the lower 

 lobe of the caudal fin much larger than the upper. They do not fly, in the strict sense of the term, but merely rise 

 from the water to escape voracious fishes, and soon fall again,— their fins merely serving as parachutes, and being 

 incapable of taking a new stroke in the air, as is done by a wing. They are found in aU the seas of the warm 

 climates ; and it would seem that they have more enemies than most other fishes, for while the voracious fishes 

 pursue and capture them in the water, the long-w inged sea-birds seize them in the air ; and between themselves 



