114 



SAURY PIKE. 



Esox Saurus. E. anguilliformis suhfuscus, ahdomine argenteo, 



maxillis subulatis cequalibus, pinna dorsali analique in pinnulas 



•versus caudam continuatis. 

 Brownish Eel-shaped Pike^ with silvery abdomen, slender 



tapering jaws of equal length, and the dorsal and anal fin 



continued into pinnules towards the tail. 

 Sauinis. Rondel, pise, p, 2^2. 

 Saury Pike. Fenn, Brit, ZooL 



The Saury Pike may be considered as a com- 

 paratively rare species, and seems to have been 

 first described by Rondeletius, who mentions it 

 among the Mediterranean fishes, under the title 

 of Saurus. Its general length is about a foot : 

 the body eel-shaped, growing suddenly taper as it 

 approaches the tail : the snout is about an inch 

 long, slender, and with the jaws produced, like 

 those of the Gar, but both of equal length, and 

 the upper mandible is a little incurvated : the 

 pectoral fins are small; the ventral still smaller: 

 the dfyrsal and anal shallow, situated near the tail, 

 and are each continued into the appearance of six 

 or seven fmlets above and below, like those in the 

 genus Scomber^ as far as the base of the tail, which 

 is deeply forked. The colour of the whole animal 

 is dusky above, and silvery beneath ; or with equal 

 propriety, it might be said to be silvery, with dusky 

 or blueish-brown back. According to Rondeletius 

 it resembles the Mackrel in taste, being in that 

 respect much allied to the Gar, Mr. Pennant in- 



