188 



COMMON BAND-FISH. 



Cepola Taenia. C. pinna caudce attenuata, capite obtusissime. 



Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 445. 

 Taenia auctorum. Jrtedi gen. 83. syn. 114. 

 Cepola capite truncato. Block, pi. 170. 



T^H IS remarkable species is of a form so thin 

 and flat in proportion to its length as to have 

 obtained among the ancient ichthyologists the title 

 of Taenia or ribband-fish. It is a native of the 

 Mediterranean sea, and is sometimes found of the 

 length of three or four feet, though the generality 

 of specimens do not exceed the length of eighteen 

 inches or two feet : the head is short, and rounded, 

 or rather truncated in front : the mouth is wide, 

 opening downwards the lower jaw somewhat ex- 

 ceeding the upper in length : both are armed with 

 moderately large, sharp, and curved teeth, placed 

 in a single row in the upper, and in a double one 

 in the lower jaw: the tongue is broad and rough: 

 the eyes very large, with silvery irides : the abdo- 

 men, properly speaking, is so very short as scarce 

 to exceed the length of the head, and from this 

 part the body is continued of equal diameter for a 

 great extent, gradually tapering as it approaches 

 the tail : the sides are extremely compressed, and 

 the body, both above and below, sharpens into a 

 kind of carina or ridge : the pectoral fins, which 

 are placed immediately beyond the gills, are ovate, 

 and of moderate size : beneath them are situated 

 the ventral fins, which are of nearly similar form : 

 the dorsal, which is of moderate breadth, and fur- 

 nished with pretty numerous distinct rays, com- 



