TEICHIURID^. 153 



Fifth group— Acanthopterygii Trichiurifonnes. 



Body elongated, band-like, and strongly compressed. Cleft of mouth deep. 

 Several strong and conical teeth in the jaws or palate. Dorsal and anal fins 

 many rayed, sometimes ending in Unlets. Caudal fln, when present, forked. 



Although, the flattened snake-like fishes are mostly found residing at great 

 depths, this is not invariably the case : thus, in tropical climates, the Trichiurus 

 usually frequents the littoral regions at very inconsiderable depths, although it 

 may also be seen as a surface fish some distance from land. It is so also in China, 

 " off the Regent's-sword, or Lian-tie-Shan promontory, great numbers of strange- 

 looking crafts in the form of rude rafts, put boldly to sea, long black nets coiled 

 up snugly in the middle, four men working at huge sculls, and the others smoking 

 and chatting. The net is paid out in a circle, and when the end is come to, the 

 net is turned back and hauled in, securing frequently large numbers of the silvery 

 hair-tail."— (A. Adams, Zool. 1861, p. 7617.) 



Family, XVI— TRICHIURIDiE, (Swainson) GUnther. 



LepidopodincB, Qill. 



Branchiostegals seven or eight : pseudobranchise present. Body elongated and 

 strongly compressed. Gill-openings wide. Eyes lateral. Cleft of mouth deep. Teeth 

 in jaws or palate, several being strong and conical. Dorsal and anal fins many 

 rayed, sometimes ending in flnlets : ventrals, when present, thoracic, sometimes 

 rudimentary : caudal present or absent. Scales, when present, rudimentary. No 

 prominent papilla behind the vent. Air-bladder present. Pyloric appendages 

 few or many. 



Genus I. — Trichiuetjs, Linnceus. 



Enchelyopus, Klein ; Lepturus (Artedi), Gill ; and Uupleurograrrmius, Gill. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobrancMoB present. Body very elongated, strongly 

 compressed, ribbon-shaped, tapering to a finless point at the tail. Gleft of mouth 

 deep. Teeth in jaws and palatines, those iyi the premaxillaries being arched and very 

 strong, while the lateral ones are lancet-shaped ; none on the vomer. A single long 

 dorsal fin, extending the etitire length of the hack: ventrals, when present, in the form 

 of a pair of scales or spines : anal spines minute, sometimes concealed beneath the skin. 

 Scales absent. Air-bladder present. Pyloric appendages numerous. 



Although ventral fins merely exist in one or more of these species in the form 

 of spines or scales, it is suggested by Liitken as not improbable that they are 

 always present in the very young. This is a littoral genus which is sometimes 

 taken out at sea. Cantor observed that Trichiurus haumela and T. savala give at 

 certain seasons, like other fishes, a vivid phosphorescent light. 



As food these fishes are held in various estimation at different places. 

 Thus along the coast of Belooohistan, where salt is cheap, no one will touch 

 them ; along the coast of India, where the onerous salt tax has ruined the fish- 

 curers' trade, they are more valued, because their bodies being attenuated they 

 can be dried in the sun. Earopeans have spoken well of them as articles of diet. 



Geographical distribution. — Tropical seas extending into those of temperate 

 regions. Stragglers occur along tlie British coasts. 



