THE MACKAFlEL tribe. 
tjb 
remark, that a forked tail is always accompanied with a pec- 
toral fin that is (more or less) pointed, which observation, 
although not in every case correct, is nearly so; and taken 
together with the number of lesser fins on the hinder parts 
of the body, the fishes thus furnished are rendered the best 
qualified of all the tribes of the ocean to pass rapidly through 
a large extent of space, and suddenly to change their course 
as hope or fear may render expedient. 
This family was regarded as a single genus by Linnaeus, and 
was arranged by him in his Thoracic order; but by Cuvier 
it has been divided into several genera, of which we shall 
take notice as we proceed to describe the separate species. 
