XIPHOSTOMAX. 



259 



Analogies of the European and American Salmon. 



American Salmon. Resemblances. European Salmon. 



CuARACi^vs Artedl. ["often tSing.^'*^ "''""*^']c°«^^0-'*"« ^'^^■ 

 Serrasalmo Lac. [ ^^.^I^H^.^.^ol^' ' *^^*^ '^■"""^'j Salmo Linn. 



Laurida Arist. 



Cynodox Spix. 



(_ numerous. 



^ Mouth excessively large ; 7 



t teeth long, slender,unequal 

 Gasteropelicus £1. Mouth small, vertical 

 PiABucLS Cuv. Anal fin very long. 



Anastomus Cuv. 

 Mallotus Cuv. 



(227.) We now come to the three aberrant types of 

 this sub-family, represented^ as we conceive, by the 

 genera Xiphostoma Spix, Sternoptyx Herm., and Sudis 

 Cuv. The first of these is represented by one of the 

 most singular forms among the salmons; and so strongly 

 does it recall to our mind the form of the Xiphias, that 

 it may be termed the sword-fish of the salmons. It 

 wiU be seen, from the annexed cut (^fig, 53.) that the 



body is elongated ; and although both jaws are con- 

 siderably lengthened, the upper one sUghtly exceeds the 

 other, and terminates in a small but very distinct point: 

 the angulated upper jaw, so conspicuous in the last 

 group, is also continued to this, and there is a small 

 adipose fin ; here, however, all similarity between them 

 ceases. The first dorsal fin is placed much nearer the 

 caudal, and both that and .the adipose fin are situated 

 rather behind the ventral and anal : the teeth are very 

 remarkable : being all equal, with their points directed 

 backwards : the ventral and anal fins are triangular, and 

 of equal size ; while the hard compact scales, marked 

 with longitudinal elevations, remind us immediately of 

 Lambda. In the suh- germs Hepsetus Sw., which in- 

 cludes the African or Old World representatives of the 

 American XipJiostoini, the jaws, although narrow and 



s 2 



