82 



ACCOUNT OF FIVE RARE SPECIES 



Z. TETRADENS. (Pl. II.) 



The length of the fish is five feet six inches 

 depth at the gills four inches and a half, and from 

 thence to the vent the size is nearly the same ; 

 from the vent it gradually decreases to the com- 

 mencement of the anal fin, where it is about two 

 inches in depth ; and afterwards decreases more 

 suddenly to the end of that fin, where it becomes 

 nearly round and about half an inch in diameter : 

 its thickness just behind the gills scarcely exceeds 

 one inch and a quarter ; behind the vent one 

 inch and one eighth ; at the commencement of 

 the anal fin, five eighths of an inch ; and across 

 the gills, one inch three quarters. The weight, with- 

 out the intestines, was six pounds one ounce. The 

 shape is completely ensiform, being much com- 

 pressed, and equally carinated above and beneath, 

 except the head, which is flat on the top ; and the 

 eyes placed lateral, and as distant as the thickness 

 of the head will admit : the head ^ is porrected, 

 and conic, the under jaw the longest by half an 

 inch, terminating in a callous fleshy projection 

 beyond the teeth : each jaw is furnished with an 

 irregular row of extremely sharp-pointed teeth, 

 standing very conspicuous, even when the jaws 

 are closed ; those in the under, are about twenty 

 in number on each side ; in the upper, not quite 

 so numerous, but in this jaw there are four large 

 teeth in front, (hence the specific name tetradens ) y 



* Plate lit 



