354 



VERTEBRATES : FISHES. 



Fig. 234- 



The Genus Tetrodon has each jaw divided in the mid- 

 dle by a suture, thus giving the appearance of two teeth 

 in each jaw ; and the body is wholly or partly covered 

 Fig. 233. with spines. The members of 



this genus, and the Diodons, 

 possess the faculty of inflating 

 themselves like a balloon, by 

 swallowing air. The Common 

 Puffer, T. turgid,,*, Mitch. Swell-Fish, or Puffer, T. Tnrgi- 

 dus, Mitch., of the Atlantic, is from six to twelve inches 

 long. 



The Genus OrtJiagoriscus has the body short and com- 

 pressed. The Short 

 Sun -Fish, O. mo la, 

 Schr., of the Atlantic, 

 attains the length of 

 four feet, and the 

 weight of five hun- 

 dred pounds or more. 

 BALISTID/E, OR 

 FILE-FISH FAMILY. 

 This Family embraces 

 fishes with a conical or 

 pyramidal snout, com- 

 pressed body, eight 

 teeth in a single row 

 in each jaw, the skin 

 scaly or granulated, two dorsals, the first composed 

 of one or more spines, and the ventrals indistinct or 

 wanting. They abound in the warm regions, and their 

 colors are brilliant. Several species, from three to nine 

 inches long, are found on the Atlantic coast of the 

 United States. 



OSTRACIONID/E, OR TRUNK-FISH FAMILY. - - This Fam- 

 ily comprises fishes which have the head and body cov- 



Sun-Fish, O. mala, Schr. 



