240 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES^ ETC. 



pectorals rather lengthened, falcate : caudal fin very 

 large, divided into two sickle-like lobes ; the base 

 singly or doubly carinated. 



Z. Indicus Xob. Cuv. and Val. pi. 229. Bloch, 343. 



Mach^ra Lac. Snout short ; habit of Tetrapterus, 

 which it resembles in having the tail doubly carinated, 

 and the point of the upper jaw not dilated ; but 

 resembles Xiphias in having no ventrals ; tail lunate^ 

 large^ as in Zanclurus. 



M. niger. Lacep. iv. pi. 13. fig.S. 



4- SuBFAM. ALEPISAURIX^. 



Body lengthened, linear, much compressed ; head 

 lengthened, pointed : teeth large, unequal, very acute ; 

 mouth wide, two dorsal fins, the hinder adipose ; 

 scales none. 



Alepisaurus Lowe. The first dorsal fin very high, 

 and extending two-thirds the length of the back ; 

 adipose fin small; ventral fin beneath the middle 

 of the first dorsal ; anal fin short, narrow, falcated ; 

 caudal large, deeply cleft ; gape extending much 

 behind the eye, which is verylarge ; pectorals rather 

 large, close to the throat : intermediate between 

 Gomphylus and Lepidopus, and representing Sphy- 



rfena.* 



A. ferox Loice. Zool, Trans, i. pi. 19. 



5. SuBFAM. FISTULARIN.E. 



Body long, very slender, linear, naked, and without 

 scales ; jaws prolonged into a tube, at the extremity of 

 which is a small mouth, opening vertically ; no spines 

 on the back. 



Fistularia Linn. Dorsal fin single ; snout very long 

 and depressed ; caudal forked, between which is in- 



* The relations pointed out by the excellent zoologist who first discovered 

 and described this singular genus appear to me highly probable, and yet the 

 f>oisession of an adipose fin is without parallel in the whole of this order. 



