LANCET ACANTHURUS. 379 



able for minute accuracy either in his descriptions 

 or figures, it is probable that it may have been 

 intended for the present species. Catesby informs 

 us that it grows to the length of a foot and half, 

 and is in request as an edible fish. 



LANCET ACANTHURUS. 



Acanthurus Chirurgus. A. luteus, corpore postice striis trans* 



versis fuscis, cauda utrinque acukata. 

 Orange-yellow Acanthurus, with the body crossed on the 



hind-part by transverse brown stripes,, and a spine on each 



side the tail. 

 Chaetodon Chirurgus. Block t. 208. 



Length about nine or ten inches : shape ovate : 

 colour orange-yellow : scales rather small : on each 

 side the hind part of the body five or six narrow, 

 transverse, dusky stripes : gill-covers smooth or un- 

 armed : on each side the base of the tail a very 

 strong, curved spine, erigible at pleasure from the 

 furrow in which it lies : tail lunated : dorsal fin 

 pale violet, without scales at the base, and marked 

 by several oblique, narrow, dusky streaks : pectoral 

 and ventral fins tinged with crimson towards the 

 base : native of the American seas, where it is 

 generally known by the name of the Surgeon or 

 Lancet-Fish, a title however which seems not en- 

 tirely confined to the present species. 



