SOME HARBOUR FISHES 169 



No one could fail to recognise the sword-fish, 

 with its peculiar snout issuing from its upper jaw, 

 though it sonrietimes is confounded with the saw- 

 fish, the difference of course being that the long 

 beak of the former is a bony blade, while that of 

 the latter — a member of the squalida; or shark tribe 

 — is serrated on each side. It is no uncommon 

 thing for the sword-fish to measure fifteen, or even 

 eighteen feet, over all, the sword monopolising one- 



SWORD-FISH. 



third of that length. The colour is blue-black 

 above, and silvery below. So minute are the 

 scales that they are not apparent. The great tail 

 is like a double scythe, and there is one re-curved, 

 very sharp, dorsal fin. The large eye at the base 

 of the beak has a comical, wide-awake, businesslike 

 expression, and the mouth is toothless, though 

 there may be teeth deep down in Ihe gullet. 

 Authentic instances of sword-fish attacking the 



