LOPHIUS.
GENERIC CH A R A C T E R .
Spiracula solitaria pone hrachia; dmtes p lu r
im i m in u ti: piume pectorales brachiis
insidentes; branchia: tres tantum.
S o lita ry sp ira c le s b e h in d th e a rm s ; n um e rous
sma ll t e e th ; th e pe c to ra l fins seated
o n th e arms ; th e b ranchia e th re e o n ly .
No. X IX .
L o p h iu s , processu erecto, setaceo, apice clavata, mobile, ab labio superiore; corpore alepidoto,
cute tm u i, laxa, tecto ; pin n is pedoralibus in brachiis longis.
L o p h iu s , w i t h a n e r e c t , s e ta c e o u s , m o v e a b l e p r o c e s s , c lu b b e d a t th e p o in t , r i s in g f r om th e
u p p e r U p ; th e p e c to r a l f in s o n l o n g a rm s .
C a lled b y th e N a tiv e s K a p p a M u r a M o i a .
Lophius H istrio L in n . S . JV. p . 4 0 2 .
D . \ . I . 1 2 . p . 10 . V. 5 . A . 7 . G. 1 0 .
T he shape o f this singular animal w ill be better collected from the figure, than from a description. T h e
mouth large, oblique; the upper jaw longer than the under, both have a double row o f close-set, small te eth;
tlie tongue hard, obtuse. From the middle o f the upper lip arises an erect cirrus, ha lf an inch in length, with
an oblong, pappy, club head, streaked (like a porcupine quill) alternately dusky and w h ite ; from the rostrum,
a little behind this, arises a small rough, somewhat-curve, cartilaginous process, grow ing thicker gradually
towards the end, whicli is set with short hairs; and a second o f the same kind, but a little longer and more
curved, lies reclined upon the ascending ridge o f the back; between these, and immediately above the eye, is
a deep depression of the crown. T h e eyes are remarkably small, and o f a beautiful emerald colour.
T h e dorsal fin consists o f twelve rays, rendered less distinct by the rough skin, which is without scales, and
every where hangs very loose. T h e ventral fins are very small, but like the others adipose at the roots. T h e
ten rays o f the pectoral fin at the end o f the arm, resemble fingers. T h e caudal fin is round. T h e solitary
branchial spiracula are behind the arms.
T h e colour a yellowish white variegated with black streaks, the fins also are streaked, or spotted. T h e belly
reddish.
T h e len g th ,i\m e inches and a half.
W h a t I have described as a process, I find is reckoned by Gronovius, the first dorsal fin.
BALISTES.
G E N E R IC C H A R A C T E R .
Caput compressum ; dentes uiriusque 8 ; horum
anteriores 2 longiares ; utrinque 3 interiores
in tra totidem laterales, adpressi ; apertu
ra supra pinnas pectorales. Corpus compressum,
squamis corio coadunatis. Abdomen
carinatum.
T h e h e ad c om p re s sed ; e ig h t te e th in ea ch
jaw , o f w h ic h two in f ro n t are lo n g es t,
th e th re e in te rio r, o n l^oth sides, rest
b e tw e en an e q u a l n um b e r o f lateral tee th ;
th e b r a n c h ia l a p e rtu re a b o v e th e p e c toral
fins. T h e b o d y c om p re ssed , the
b e lly carin ated ; th e scales fixed o n a
coriaceous sk in .
No. X X .
B a l i s t e s p inna dorsali anteriorc triradiata, radio primo osseo, breve, crasso, áspero, retuso,
antice serrato ; p inna caudali integra, sub-Jexuosa .
T h e B a l i s t e s w i t h a th r e e - r a y e d a n t e r io r f in , o f w h i c h th e f i r s t r a y is a s h o r t , r o u g h ,
t h i c k b o n e , w i t h a r a g g e d p o in t , a n d s e r r a t e d o n th e fo r e p a r t ; t iie t a i l u n d iv id e d ,
s om ew h a t f le x u o u s .
Called b y th e N a tiv e s R a h t e e Y e l l a k a h .
_L J l .
D . 3 . 3 0 . P . 1 5 . V. 14. A . 2 8 . C. 1 4 .
T h e body very compressed, thin, broad, and sh o r t; the skin rough, reticulated, with a few contiguous square
scales, on the rostrum. T h e head, at first, o f equal breadth with the body, and not less compressed on the
sides, declines in an oblique line from the dorsal fin to the mouth, from which, in another oblique line, but
rather shorter, it declines to the ventral fin. T h e mouth is situated at the point o f the triangle, very small, the
lips thickish; the two fore teeth in each jaw remarkably long. T h e eyes near the vertex, distant from the
rostrum. N o visible nostrils.
T lie back slanting from the first dorsal fin to the tail, witli the opposite ascending line from the ventral fin,
compose a triangle somewhat longer than that o f the head. T h e tail, at the termination o f the dorsal fin, is
much contracted, but expands somewhat towards the fin. The re is no lateral line. T h e anus remarkably
long.
T\\qp n s . T h e first spine o f the dorsal is thick, strong, serrated, with a rough point, as if broken ; the other
two rays are small and short, but sharp pointed; the second dorsal is situated three fourths o f an inch behind
on the declivity o f the ba ck; the short roundish pectoral is placed nearly in the middle between the eye and
ventral f in ; the first spine of the ventral exactly resembles that o f the first d orsal; the white points o f the
others just appear above the edge o f the connecting black membrane; the anal is opposite to the second d orsal;
the caudal is undivided, rounded somewhat in the middle, and sinuated on each side.