THE DORY, HEN-FISH, AND OPAH FAMILIES. 335 



109. THE DORY, HEN-FISH, AND OPAH FAMILIES. 



The Dory Family — Zbnid^. 



The fishes of this family ai-e found in all temperate and tropical seas. The Boar-fish and the 

 John Dory, both somewhat important species in Great Britain, are members of this and related 

 families. A single specimen, recorded by Storer and Gill, the species which is peculiar to America 

 and described under the name Zenopsis ocellatus, was taken off Provincetown. 



The Hen-pish Family — Bramid^. 



The only member of this family of interest to us is the Brama Baii, called "Pomfret" in 

 Bermuda, where a few individuals were observed by the writer in 1876. In 1880 an individual 

 was obtained on the Grand Bank of Newfoundland, and more recently the species has been found 

 to be somewhat abundant on the coast of Washington Territory and Vancouver's Island. This 

 species was described from the coast of South America under the name Brama ehilensis. 



The Opah Family — Lampridid^. 



This family is represented in the Atlantic by a single species, Lampris guttatns, a pelagic fish, 

 which appears to be more abundant in the deep waters of northern seas than elsewhere. It has 

 been observed at many points upon the Norwegian coast, about Iceland and Madeira, as well as in 

 the Mediterranean, but is of unusual occurrence everywhere, except perhaps about Madeira. On 

 the coast of England it is one of the great rarities, and is much sought for by collectors on 

 account of its beauty. It is said to be one of the most brilliantly colored fishes known — "red 

 and green, with tints of purple and gold dotted over with silvery round spots. Iris of the eye is 

 scarlet, and fins of lively red." A specimen was obtained years ago near Sable Island, Nova Scolia, 

 and the species will doubtless be found still nearer our shores. It is said that no young speci- 

 mens have yet been seen. The species attains the length of four feet and more, and is said to be 

 very excellent for eating. 



110. THE CUTLASS-FISH— TRICHIURUS LEPTURUS. 



This fish is unfortunately known in Eastern Florida and at Pensacola as the "Sword-fish"; at 

 New Orleans, in the Saint John's Eiver, and at Brunswick, Georgia, it is known as the " Silver 

 Eel," on the coast of Texas as " Sabre-fish," while in the Indian River region it is called the 

 "Skipjack." No one of these names is particularly applicable, and the latter being preoccupied, 

 it would seem advantageous to use in this country the name " Cutlass-fish," which is current for 

 the same species in the British West Indies. 



Its appearance is very remarkable on account of its long, compressed form and its glistening 

 silvery color. The name "Scabbard-fish," which has been given to an allied species in Europe, 

 would be very proper also for this species, for in shape and general appearance it looks very like the 

 metallic scabbard of the sword. It attains the length of four or five feet, though ordinarily not 

 exceeding twenty-five or thirty inches. This species is found in the tropical Atlantic, on the coast 

 of Brazil, in the Gulf of California, the West Indies, the Gulf of Mexico, and north to Wood's Holl, 

 Massachusetts, where, during the past ten years, specimens have occasionally been taken. In 

 1845 one was found at Wellfleet, Massachusetts; and in the Essex Institute is a specimen which 

 is said to have been found in Salem Harbor. The species occurs also on the coast of Europe, two 

 specimens having been found on the shores of the Moray Frith many years ago, and during the past 

 decade it has become somewhat abundant in Southern England. It does not, however, enter the 

 Mediterranean. Some writers believe the allied species, TrieMurus Jiaumela, found in the Indian 



