104 
PELAMID. 
at the edge, fleshy at the base, with twelve rays. The anal fin 
begins opposite the termination of the second dorsal, with thirteen 
rays. Finlets nine above and seven below. Tail deeply curved, 
as in this family. 
There are no oblique lines or cords above and below the 
root of the tail; the absence of which therefore might be added 
to the characters of this genus. Pectoral fin small, not very 
firm, rising close behind the gill-cover, and lying on the corset, 
which is about the same length; number of rays twenty-five; 
ventral fins small, with one firm and five soft rays. Colour of 
the head and back deep blue, with darker transverse lines passing 
forward from the back to the lateral line ; lighter blue below 
the lateral line, and beneath this a deeper tint, fading into 
silvery white at the belly. Tail blackish; ventral and anal fins 
and the edge of the second dorsal inclined to yellow. It had 
an air-bladder, which was long and large. 
We have already taken notice of the high degree of animal 
heat which belongs to some of the fishes of this family, and 
especially in the Tunny; and its probable connection with their 
activity and strength. But in the Pelamid this amount of heat 
was found by Dr. Davy to be even higher than in the others. 
In three examples which that gentleman examined at Constan- 
tinople, the warmth of the body exceeded that of water on the 
surface by seven degrees; and compared with water at a con- 
siderable depth, it was judged to exceed it by twelve degrees. 
