L1IO FISH—CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
Teleosteans of the largest size. In young individuals, nine mil- 
limeters long, both jaws are produced and armed with pointed 
teeth, the supraorbital margin is ciliated, the parietal and pre- 
operculum are prolonged into long spines, the dorsal and anal 
fins are a long fringe, and the ventrals make their appearance 
asa pair of short buds. When fourteen millimeters long the 
young fish has still the same armature of the head, but the dor- 
sal fin has become much higher, and the ventral filaments have 
grown toa great length. At the next stage, when the fish has 
attained to a length of sixty millimeters, the upper jaw is con- 
siderably prolonged beyond the lower, losing its teeth, the 
spines of the head are shortened, and the fins assume nearly the 
shape which they retain in mature individuals. 
“Young swordfishes without ventral fins (X7f/zas) undergo 
similar changes, and, besides, their skin is covered with small, 
rough excrescences, longitudinally arrayed which continued to 
be visible after the young fish has attained the form of the ma- 
ture in other respects.” 
Dr. Liitken’s description of the young swordfishes is an ex- 
ceedingly valuable contribution to knowledge. 
. PUGNACITY. 
The pugnacity of the swordfish has become a by-word. With- 
out any special effort on my part, the following instances of 
their attacks upon vessels have, in the last six years, found their 
the way to the pigeon-hole labelled “A, III., 76, swordfish.” 
Aelian says (B, xxxii, C. 6) that the swordfish has a sharp- 
pointed snout with which it is able to pierce the sides of a ship 
and send it to the bottom ; instances of which have been known 
near a place in Mauritania known as Cotte, not far from the 
river Lixus, on the African side of the Mediterranean. He 
describes the sword as like the beak of the ship known as the 
trireme, which was rowed with three banks of oars. 
One of the earliest accounts is that given in the second part 
of, Voli, i, lib. i1., p. 89, 1615, of) Purchas’ Pilerims. 
“The sixth Circum-navigation, by William Cornelison Schov- 
ten of Horne: who Sovthwards from the Straights of Magelan 
