TBE BONY FISHES. 



165 



openings are small and placed in the axils of the pectoral 

 fins. Lophius piscatorius, the goose-fish or angler (Fig. 

 169) has an enormous mouth, and swallows fishes nearly as 

 large as itself. Its eggs are laid in broad, ribbon-like, thin, 

 gelatinous masses, two metres long and half a metre wide, 

 which float on the surface of the ocean. 



The Tufted-gilled Fish, or Lopholranchiates. The male 

 of the pipe-fish (Syngnathus peckianus) receives from the 

 female the eggs, and carries them in a small pouch under 

 his tail, which is grooved beneath. The sea-horse (Hippo- 

 campus Hudsonius, Fig. 170) lives off-shore from Cape Cod 



FIG. 169. Goose-fish. (One tenth natural size.) 



to Cape Hatteras. The male has a pouch situated on the 

 breast. By simple mechanical pressure of its tail, or by 

 rubbing against some fixed object, as a shell, it forces the 

 fry, to the number of about a thousand, out of its brood- 

 pouch, the young at this time measuring about twelve mil- 

 limetres (5-6 lines) in length. 



The Trunk- and Sun-fish. The order Plectognathi, rep- 

 resented by a few singular forms, such as the trunk -fish, 

 file-fish, puffers, and sun-fish, is characterized by the union 

 of the bones of the upper and especially the lower jaws. 

 The ventral fins are usually absent, and the skin is often 

 spiny. They are inhabitants of warm waters. The trunk- 



