riLOT-FISH, 



149 



ACANTHOPTERYGIL 



SCOMBERID^.. 



THE PILOT-FISH. 



Naucrates ductor, Cvv. et Valenc. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. t. yiii. p. 312, 



pi. 232. 

 Gasterosteus ,, Linn;eus. Willughby, App. p 7, tab. viii. fig. 2. 



Scomber ,, Blocii, pt. x. pi. 338. 



,, ,, Pilot-fish, Couch, MS. 



Generic Characters. — Body covered with small scales; dorsal fin single, 

 elongated ; free spinous rays before the dorsal and anal fins ; sides of the tail 

 carinated ; teeth small, numerous ; branchiostegous rays 7. 



The Pilot-fish has been so often seen, and occasionally 

 taken on our southern coast, as to be entitled to a place 

 among British Fishes : it may be immediately recognised 

 by its mackerel-like form of body and conspicuous transverse 

 bands. 



This fish was placed by Linnaeus in his genus Gasteros- 

 teus on account of the free spines anterior to the dorsal fin ; 

 but the form of the body, the minute scales, and the car- 

 tilaginous horizontal keel on the sides of the fleshy portion 

 of the tail, indicate the family to which it belongs. Raffi- 

 nesque considered this fish entitled to generic distinction, 

 and assigned to it the name of Naucrates : Cuvier and 

 M. Valenciennes coincide in this separation, and have adopt- 

 ed the name. 



