766 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



" Tetrasomus camelinus. Trunkfish. 



" The writer has never met with specimens of this fish, except 

 one in a private cabinet, labeled 'Atlantic City, N. J.' " 



Family BALISTID^. 



Trigger-fishes. 



Body oblong, covered with rough scales or scutes, not united into 

 a carapace ; mouth small, with incisor-like teeth ; eye near occiput ; 

 gill openings small slits, not behind pectorals ; ventrals- absent ; one 

 to three spines in first dorsal. 



BALISTES, L. 

 B. capriscus, Gmel. (fuliginosus, De K.) Leather Jacket. Filefish. 



Brown; second dorsal and anal with lines; caudal mottled 

 and with dots; third dorsal spine stouter, but shorter than 

 second ; plates on head like those on body, rough ; a groove in 

 front of eye; tail compressed. Dorsal rays, III 27; anal 

 rays, 25 ; lateral-line scales, 51 to 57. Gulf of Mexico. 



" This is a very rare species on our coast, but has been met 

 with at Tuckerton and at Cape May." 



MONACANTHUS, Cuv. 

 M. occidentalis, Gunth. 



Brownish, mottled with paler ; a broad band across middle of 

 abdominal flap ; scales small ; tail with spines ; snout pointed ; 

 dorsal spine with two rows of barbs behind ; soft rays thirty ; 

 abdominal flap greatly developed, with rough scales. West 

 Indies. Occasional on southern coast of United States. 



M. hispidus, L. (broccus, massachusettensis, setifer, Stephanolepis, Canthorinus, 

 Balistes.) Foolfish. Filefish. Thread Filefish. 



Dull greenish, mottled with darker ; fins olivaceous and 

 blotched; body deep ; eyes large; dorsal spine barbed ; pectorals 

 small ; pelvic bone long, ends in a spine ; abdominal flap short ; 

 each scale with three prickles ; no spines on tail. Soft rays, 32, 



