. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. 84 NATURAL HISTOKl'. jiectoral region, but the mucus system of the head is well developed. The soft dorsal fin is much more developed than the spinous dorsal, or than the anal fin. The air-bladder, which is sometimes absent, usually has greatly elongated appendages. In the British seas there are two representatives of this family, the Umbrina cirrhosa, which ranges into the Mediten'anean, where it is common, and extends as far south as the Cape Seas, and secondly the Scicena aquila, commonly known as the Maigre. It rarely attains a length
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. 84 NATURAL HISTOKl'. jiectoral region, but the mucus system of the head is well developed. The soft dorsal fin is much more developed than the spinous dorsal, or than the anal fin. The air-bladder, which is sometimes absent, usually has greatly elongated appendages. In the British seas there are two representatives of this family, the Umbrina cirrhosa, which ranges into the Mediten'anean, where it is common, and extends as far south as the Cape Seas, and secondly the Scicena aquila, commonly known as the Maigre. It rarely attains a length of three feet, but has been taken more than six feet long. It is a strong fish, and difficult to get into small. boats. The otolites, or ear bones, are larger in proportion to the size of the fish in this species than in any other. Its head has always been highly valued by the epicure, and was formerly presented as a tribute to the magistrates of Eome. Yarrell quotes the history of the head of one of these fishes. This head was presented to the nephew of Pope Sixtus X., and he in turn gave it to one of the cardinals; from him it passed to his banker, to whom he was under obligations; and the banker presented it to his mistress. Its wanderings were followed by a man whose industry was rewarded at last by a share in the feast. This story forms much of the underplot of Beaumont and Fletcher's Woman- hater. The aii' in this species, as indeed in the whole genus, gives oflf processes all round its margin, which branch and subdivide into a perfect fringe. The fins are brown, the body bluish-white below, and greenish-brown above. The division Xiphiiformes includes only. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Duncan, P. Martin (Peter Martin), 1821-1891; Metcalf Collection (North Carolina State Univ
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