THE SWORD-FISH. l6^ 



Genus XX 72?^ Sword-Fi/h 



Of this genus there is only one fpecles, which on 

 that accouut is allowed tu retain the generic name of 

 fword'lilh, an appellation given this animal almoft in e- 

 verj country, and evidently derived from the peculiar 

 conformation of the upper jav/ ; it projects about four 

 times the length of the lower one f , Is compreiTed at the: 

 top and bottom, and fnarpened towards the point. This 

 enormous fnout is three feet long, refembling a fword in 

 fhape ; its fubflance is rough and hard, but by no means 

 capable of piercing and finking velTcls in the fea, as is af- 

 ferted by Pl'myt. 



The fword fifh grows to a large fize, the head alone, 

 being In fome inftances known to weigh upwards of fe- 

 venty pounds §. The body is long and llender, thick to- 

 wards the head, but tapering off into a fmall fize as it 

 approaches the tail ; The colour above is black, and ou 

 the belly of a filvery white : The mouth is without teeth ; 

 the lower jaw terminates like the upper one, in a fharp 

 fpear-like point, but is greatly inferior in length: The dor- 

 fal fin takes its rife above the gills, and continues till it 

 nearly reaches the tail ; It is fupported by twenty-fix rays ; 

 the firfl of which is by far the ftrongeft and higheft, the 



Vol. III. Y other 



* Xiphias Gladius, Lin. Syft. L'Heron de Mer. Belon. , 



t Will. p. i6i. 



i Raftro mucronata elTcab hoc naves perfolTas mergi in oceano. Lib. 2,% 



§ Brit. Zool. Clafs iv. gen. 1 6. 



