364 MITCHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 



TRICHIURC8. HAIR-TAIL. 



Generic character. 



Head stretched forwards, with lateral gill-covers. Teeth ensiform, 

 semi-saggitated at the tips. Gill membrane, seven rayed. Body ensi- 

 form, compressed, with «ubulate finless tail. 



Silvery hair-tail. (Trichiurus argenieus.) With the lower jaw jut- 

 ting beyond the upper, and a snake-like tail. 



Length two feet and four inches; depth at the belly two inches and 

 a half. I measured one, August 1, 1814, that was three feet and 

 two inches long, which weighed one pound and a quarter. Figure flat, 

 and thin sideways. Colour silvery, with a golden lateral line. This 

 descends from the gill opening, and runs low along the belly. Dorsal 

 fin reaches from the back of the head almost to the tail, which is finless, 

 and ends in an attenuated point. No anal nor ventral fins; but a row 

 of notches or spines along the tail, as far forward as the vent, rendering 

 it somewhat carinated. Gill openings wide. Eyes yellow, and occupy 

 much space in the flat vertical cheeks. Space between the eyes flattish, 

 giving the head an angular configuration. Nostrils ample. Mouth 

 capacious, and jaws armed with teeth. Lower jaw projects, and has 

 two teeth jutting beyond the upper, when the mouth is shut. The 

 upper jaw has, in front, from three to six teeth longer than the rest. 

 A.11 the teeth of the larger order are jagged on the inner or hinder 

 sides, with a single barb toward their points. Throat capacious, and 

 tongue smooth. No scales. Laterally the teeth of the upper jaw 

 project over the sides of the lower. And when the jaws are closed it 

 is frequently possible to look through the mouth from side to side. 



There is a specimen of trichiure in Mr. Scudder's Museum, that is 

 alleged to have been swallowed by another fish. Both are preserved 



