103 



bladder ; pyloric appendages in increased number ; 

 the abdominal and caudal portions of the vertebral 

 column composed of numerous vertebrse. 



" Inhabitants of the seas between the tropics, ex- 

 tending on to those of the temperate regions." 



THYKSITES. 



Formed by Cuvier and Valenciennes on a curious elongate 

 fish. The sorts of this genus are not numerous ; one is found in 

 the Mediterranean Sea, and extends to Madeira, where a second 

 sort is also met ; another, Pejjidopoides, inhabits the coast of 

 Brazils ; one the East Indies ; and two are described as found iu 

 the Australian Seas. One of these is unknown to me (Solandrl) , 

 the other is very common in the Straits of Bass, particularly 

 during the cold months of the year ; this sort is also found 

 in great quantity at the Cape of Grood Hope, where it bears the 

 name of SnoeJc. In that Colony it appears in the beginning of 

 August, becomes very abundant in September, and disappears 

 a few months after ; it is considered the best fish of the country. 



THTESITES ATTJN". 



Scomber atun, Puphrasen, VetensTc. Acad., v. xii. 



Thyrsites atun, Guv. Sf Vol., Poissons, v. viii., p. 196, pi. 219. 



■ — altivelis, Richard., Proceed. Zool. Soc, 1839, p. 99. 



{The Barracuta.} 



The Australian fish appears to me to be entirely similar to the 

 Cape specimens, and I don't doubt that this sort inhabits all the 

 Antarctic Seas. It is of a dark silvery colour, with the upper 

 parts of an obscure blue ; eye yellow : the dorsal variegated with 

 black and white. 



Yery common at certain seasons, and much esteemed as food. 



The Thirsites Altivelis seems to have been established errone- 

 ously ; in all the Australian specimens, I find the longest ray of 

 the dorsal much lower than the body, and also only six pinnulce. 

 In some cases, particularly in old specimens, the last ray (or 

 rays) of the second dorsal detaches itself from the others, and 

 takes the appearance of a seventh 



