CARANGID^E. 127 



Genus 2. — Naucrates, Cuvier. 



Nauclerus, Cuvier (young). Xystophorus, Richardson (young). 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchice present. Body oblong, sub -cylindrical. 

 Cleft of mouth of moderate extent. A spine at the angle of the preopercle in the 

 young, which becomes absorbed as age increases. Villiform teeth in the jaws, vomer, 

 and palatine bones. The first dorsal fin, which is continuous in the young, becomes 

 reduced to a few free spines in the adult: the second dorsal and anal many rayed: 

 no spurious fins or jinlets : in the young two pre-anal spines remote from the anal 

 fin but which becomes absorbed, with age. Scales small : lateral line unarmed. A 

 heel on either side of the free portion of the tail. Air-bladder present. Pyloric 

 appendages in moderate numbers. 



^Elian tells us that these fishes were supposed to be kindly disposed towards 

 sailors, and therefore liked to approach ships, which they continued with until 

 they approached the land. They were deemed sacred to Neptune, the god of the 

 ocean, who protected thern from designed injury, consequently a man who had 

 ventured to eat one soon afterwards lost his son by drowning. That these fishes 

 will accompany vessels long voyages has been frequently observed, thus two came 

 from the Mediterranean to Falmouth (see Linn. Trans. Vol. XIV). They do not 

 appear to like the cold water of the English Channel. Edward has recorded the 

 capture of one as far north as Banffshire, and Dr Harvey its occurrence off 

 the county of Cork. 



Geographical distribution. — This pelagic fish is extensively spread through 

 most temperate and tropical seas. 



1. Naucrates ductor, Plate XLV. 



T\6j.nri\oQ, iElian, ii, c. 15, xv, c. 23; Athen. vii, p. 282; Oppian, i, p. 188. 

 Povipilits, Ovid, Hal. v, 101 ; Pliny, ix, c. 15, xxxii, c. 11; Gesner, p. 881; 

 Aldrov. iii, c. 19, p. 325 ; Willugh. p. 215, Append, pi. viii, f. 2. Pilote, Dutertre, 

 Hist. Antilles, ii, p. 223 ; Ray, p. 156. Scomber, sp. Gronov. Zooph. No. 3l)9 ; 

 Koelreuter, Nov. Com. Pentrop. ix, p. 464, t. x, f . 4, 5 ; Duhamel, Peches, ii, 

 Sect. 4, pi. iv, f . 4, pi. ix, f . 3. Coryphcena, No. 3, Artedi, Genera, p. 16. 



Gasterosteus ductor, Linn. Syst. i, p. 489 ; Briinn. Pise. Mass. p. 67, Bennett, 

 "Whaling Voyage, ii, p. 274. 



Gasterosteus antecessor, Dald. Skrivt. Nat. Selsk. Kjob. ii, p. 166. 



Scomber ductor, Bloch, t, 338; Hasselq. Iter, p. 336; Gmel. Linn. p. 1324; 

 Bl. Schn. p. 32 ; Mitchell, Trans. Lit, and Phil. Soc. New York, i, p. 424. 



Scomber hoelreuteri, Bl. Schn. p. 570. 



Centronotus conductor, Lacep. iii, p. 311 ; Ris&o, Ich. Nice, p. 193, and Europ. 

 Merid. iii, p. 428. 



Naucrates fanfarus, Rafin. Car. p. 44. 



Naucrates ductor, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 312, pi. ccxxxii ; Tarrell, Brit. Fish. 

 (Ed. 1) i, p. 149, c. fig. (Ed. 2) i, p. 170 (Ed. 3) ii, p. 227 ; Swainson, Fishes, ii, 

 p. 245 ; Guichen. Exp. Sc. Alger. Poiss. p. 60 ; Cocks, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 (2) 1856, xviii, p. 496 ; Thompson, Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv, p. 95 ; Giinther, Catal. 

 ii, p. 374, and Fische Sudsee, Heft, v, Dec. 1876, p. 137 ; Klunz. Verh. z. b. Ges. 

 Wien, 1871, p. 445 ; Day, Fishes of India, p. 229, pi. Ha, fig. 2 ; Giglioli, Catal. 

 Pesc. Ital. p. 25 ; Liitken, Spolia Atlantica, p. 600, pi. iii, f . 14, 15 ; Moreau, 

 Poiss. France, ii, p. 449. 



Naucrates novemboracensis, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 325. 



Naucrates indicus, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 326 ; Cuv. Regne Anim. 111. Poiss. 

 pi. liv. f. 1 ; Less. Voy. Coq. Zool. Poiss. p. 157, pi. xiv ; Richardson, Ich. China, 

 p. 269 ; Kner, Novara Fische, p. 145. 



Naucrates hoelreuteri, Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 327. 



Nauclerus comprcssus, Cuv. and Val. ix, p. 249, pi. eclxiii ; Giinther, Catal. ii, 

 p. 469 (? young). 



( '< iiirntnitns ductor, Couch, Trans. Linn. Soc. xiv, p. 82 ; Jenyns, Man. p. 365 ; 

 White, Catal. Brit. Fish. p. 34. 



Thynwis pompilus, Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 123. 



Pilot-fish, Couch, Fish. Brit, Isles, ii, p. 107, pi. Ixxxvii. 



