61 
TRICHITJETTS. 
In the form of the body, mouth, and dorsal fin, this genus bears 
great resemblanee to the last; but it differs from it in the absence of 
the tail; and everything like a ventral fin. In place of an anal fin 
there is a row of very small spines, and the body at its termination 
is extended into a slender and compressed cord. 
HAIRTAIL. 
BLADE FISH. 
Lepturus, Artedi. 
Trichiurus Leptunis, Linnaeus. Cuvier. Bloch; pi. i, 58. 
“ Swaikson ; Nat. Hist., vol. ii, p. 254. 
** “ Fleming; Br. Animals, p. 204. 
“ “ Jesyss; Manual, p. 372. 
“ “ Tarjlell; Br. Fishes, vol. i, p. 204. 
“ “ Gunther; Catalogue of the Br. Museum, 
vol. ii, p. 346. 
This species was first made tnown to science by the joint 
labour of Artedi and Linmeus; the first of whom has given a 
particular description of it, to which we shall again refer. To 
this Linnaius has added that it is a native of China and 
America, and has been known in many instances to have 
leaped out of the water into the boats of fishermen. It is now 
known to be found in the seas of the West Indies and South 
America. 
As regards our own country the history of this fish is 
obscure, and not at all satisfactory. Mr. Hoy was the first to 
obtain an example, which with some probability he referred to 
this species; but it was much mutilated by a storm that threw 
it on the shore in the Firth of Moray, in November, 1810. 
Quoting from bis account in Dr. Fleming’s “History of British 
