ACANTHOPTERYG1I. 101 



bony spear of great hardness, and which is a most 

 formidable offensive weapon. From the great vo- 

 lume and muscular force of the tail, their swiftness 

 is very great, and gives an impetus to the thrust of 

 their " sword" that nothing can resist. Instances 

 have been numerous in which the copper, plank, 

 and timbers, of ships have been deeply pierced by 

 the snout of a Swordfish, a feat requiring a most 

 astonishing force. It has been supposed, and not 

 without reason, that these suicidal assaults are the 

 results of a want of discrimination, the fish mis- 

 taking the great hull of a vessel for the body of 

 a whale, to which it is said to entertain the most 

 rancorous hostility. " One morning," says Captain 

 Crow, in a recent voyage to Memel, " during a calm, 

 when near the Hebrides, all hands were called up 

 at three A.M. to witness a battle between several of 

 the fish called Thrashers, or Fox Sharks, (Carcharias 

 Vulpes^] and some Swordfish on one side, and an 

 enormous Whale on the other. It was in the middle 

 of summer, and the weather being clear, and the 

 fish close to the vessel, we had a fine opportunity 

 of witnessing the contest. As soon as the Whale's 

 back appeared above the water, the Thrashers, spring- 

 ing several yards into the air, descended with great 

 violence upon the object of their rancour, and in- 

 flicted upon him the most severe slaps with their 

 long tails, the sound of which resembled the reports 

 of muskets fired at a distance. The Swordfish, in 

 their turn, attacked the distressed Whale, stabbing 

 from below ; and thus beset on all sides and wound- 



