Page:Natural History, Fishes.djvu/157

Rh being in the same proportion to the breadth; but then it is generally so much compressed, that these creatures have acquired the popular names of Riband-fish, Lath- or Deal-fish, &c. The body, indeed, is often not thicker, except in its middle, than that of a sword; and, being covered with the richest silver, and of great length, the undulating motion of these fishes in the sea, must be resplendent and beautiful beyond measure. But these, and all the wonders of the mighty deep, are almost hidden from the eye of man. These meteoric fishes appear to live in the greatest depths; and it is only at long intervals, or after a succession of tempests, that a solitary individual is cast upon the shore, with its delicate body torn and mutilated by the element, or by the rocks. Such may be truly said of nearly all the genera contained in the tribe, the only exception being those of Cepola and Ophidium, which have a more compact and robust organization, and habitually frequent the same moderate depths as the generality of edible fish."

The Band-fishes proper are distinguished by having the body moderately lengthened, compressed, very gradually diminishing in height from the head to the tail; the head short, rounded, the mouth opening obliquely upwards; the dorsal and anal fins very long, united to the caudal; all the spines of the dorsal flexible;