J33 MITCHILt ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 



The abdominal fins are small, and wide apart. The dorsal and anal 

 fills are far back and opposite, like those of the pike. The tail is 

 forked, and from its middle proceeds a single ray, of a black hue, four 

 inches long, filamentous like whale bone, or capillary like horse hair. 

 The orbits of the eyes are beset with angular processes. The pec- 

 toral fins are inserted at the thinnest part of the body, and are them- 

 selves broad and pretty large. There is a radiated patch on the gill- 

 cover almost resembling a pectoral fin. 



The lateral lines are very peculiar in this respect, that, arising from 

 points somewhat forward of the upper gill-openings, they almost touch 

 the dorsal ridge by finely approaching curves, and then recede to the 

 usual distance on their respective sides. 



The fins generally, but more especially the dorsal, anal, and caudal, 

 have a pale and whitish appearance. 



2. Indian Trumpet Fish. (Fistularia chinensis.) With scaly yellowish 

 red skin, longitudinal rows of black spots, and simple rounded tail. 



The specimen before me is about eighteen inches long, and was 

 brought by a ship-master from New-Holland. 



The appearance of the skin puts me in mind of the texture of a raw- 

 silk stocking. Colour of a yellowish brown, with a ruddy tinge. On 

 each side of the back two close rows, and one more remote, of blackish 

 spots running lengthwise. Another row along the middle of the belly. 

 Several pale or whitish stripes along the sides. Snout about four 

 inches long, with a semi-transparent appearance, and mouth near the 

 end. The creature is described by Shaw, in his General Zoology, vol, 

 \part l.p. 97, 93. 



