Class IV. S W O R D F I S M. 163 



The fnout is the upper jaw, produced to a Snout, 

 great length, and has fome refemblance to a fword, 

 from whence the name It is eomprefled at the 

 top and bottom, and iharp at the point. The 

 under jaw is four times as fhorc as the upper, but 

 likewife Iharp pointed. The mouth is deltitute of 

 teeth. 



The body is flender, thickeft near the head^ 

 and growing lefs and iefs as it approaches the 

 tail. 



The llcin is rough, but very thin : the color 

 of the back is dufky, of the belly filvery. 



The dorfal fin begins a little above the gills, and 

 extends almoft to the tail : it is higheft at the be- 

 ginning and the end, but very low in the middle : 

 a little above the tail, on each fide, the fkin rifes 

 and form.s two triangular protuberances, not unlike 

 the fpurious fins of the tunny. 



The pedoral fins are long, and of a fey the- like 

 form, and their firil rays the longefl. 



The anus is placed at the diftance of one-third 

 part of the body from the tail ; beneath are two 

 anal fins. 



The tail is exactly of the (hape of a crefcent. 



M 2 Sect 



