FISHES. APODAL. lo. Sternoptyx. 71^ 
Dorfal fm very broad ; thorax with 2 very long pointed 
appendages. Indian S. 
Inhabits the BrafiUan and Eajl Indian Teas; grows to the 
length of 20 feet or more ; is a very powerful fifh, frequently 
attacks whales, and pierces the fides of {hips with its Iword- 
like fnont. A part of the bottom of a large Eaft-Indiaman, 
with fword of this fifh driven completely through, is now ia 
the B'ritijk Mufeum.' The fifh was killed by the violence of 
the effort, and the veffel probably faved from foundering by 
its not having power to withdraw it. Nat, Mifcel. 88. 
Body filvery blueifh-white upper part of Ihe back, head and 
' tail deep brown ; dorfal fin pale brown, finely fpotted with 
roundifh black marks ; Jkiri fmooth, without the appearance 
of fcales ; tail femilunar. 
iO. STERNOPTYX. obtufe: teeth 
very minute i gill-metyibT cine o . body 
comprefTed; without apparent fcales: 
breafi carinate, folded ; belly pellucid. 
St. 
Inhabits America : fmall, comprelfed, truncate before, narrowed 
and filvery behind. 
£yes large, amber-colour-, perpendicular; tonpu thick, 
rough ; upper Up ihort, lower perpendicular with 4 fern.- 
circular depreffed cavities diftina from the ridge, and 3 others 
under the aperture of the gills; the aperture is oblique with 
foft covers; folds of the breaft forming a pellucid ridge; 
back greenifo-brown, gibbous behind the fin, with a double 
ridge diverging towards the noflnls ; lateral line o •, dorjal 
fin with an oblique, ftrong, fpinous immoveable ray, joined 
to which is a membrane very finely toothed at the edge; 
pedoral fins amber-colour ; tail bifid. ^ 
porfy. as, 13: caud, 40. 
EE. LEPTO- 
