126 



SAURY ELOPS. 



quarters of an inch from the end of the snout were 

 the eyes, round and grey : there were two pinned 

 post branchias, two under the belly, one on the 

 middle of the back, post anum another, and a 

 forked tail : it was all over scaly, the back of a dark 

 brown, and the belly of a white colour/* 



In general habit the Saury Eiops bears some 

 resemblance to a Pike, or rather to a Salmon : the 

 scales are of moderate size ; the head smooth and 

 without scales ; the tail much forked, and armed 

 both above and below by a strong spine, forming 

 a first or spiny ray on each side the tail : from the 

 base of the tail, in the specimen figured by Dr. 

 Bloch, runs a black stripe to the end of the middle 

 division : the general colour of the fish is a silvery 

 grey, dusky on the back, silvery on the abdomen, 

 the head being slightly tinged with yellow: the 

 fins are of a blueish brown. In the specimen above 

 mentioned Dr. Bloch was not able to perceive the 

 spine or strong ray on each side the tail. In a fine 

 specimen in the British Museum it is very con- 

 spicuous. Dr. Bloch observes, as a distinguishing- 

 character of this fish, that the chin or under part 

 of the mouth is armed by a kind of small, oblong, 

 bony shield, interposed between the sides of the^ 

 gill-membrane. 



