Class IV. SAURY PIKE. 431 



body anguilliform ; but towards the tail grows 

 suddenly smaller, and tapers to a very inconsi- 

 derable girth. On the lower part of the back 

 is a small fin, and between it and the tail five or 

 six spurious, like those of the mackrel ; corre- 

 spondent to these, below, are the anal fin and 

 six spurious;* the pectoral and ventral fins 

 very small ; the tail much forked. The back 

 azure blue varying to green ; the belly bright 

 and silvery. 



Great numbers of these fish were thrown 

 ashore on the sands of Leitk, near Edinburgh, 

 after a great storm in November J 768. f Ron- 

 deletius describes this species among the fish of 

 the Mediterranean ; but speaks of it as a rare 

 kind. 



* The number of these spurious or lesser fins are said to vary. 

 Ed. 



f The Saury Pike enters the Frith of Forth almost every, 

 autumn in considerable shoals, and being stupid inactive fishes, 

 are found by hundreds on the shallows, when the tide retires, 

 with their long noses embedded in the mud. The specimen 

 figured by Mr. Racket was taken near the isle of Portland, 

 Another, with the lower jaw longer than the upper, was caughf 

 near Blak&ney in Norfolk in 180.3. Ed. 



