9Z OSBECK'S VOYAGE. 



Balistes vetula, which is called the Old 

 Wife Jijh by the mariners : the firfl dorfalfin 

 has three, the fecond thirty, the peel oral-Jin 

 fourteen, the ventral-Jin twelve, the anal-Jin 

 twenty-eight, and the tail twelve, rays. In 

 fize and figure it is like the Cyprinus Ballerus. 

 It is of alii colour, approaching towards yel- 

 low : the Jkin is rough, thick, and covered 

 with rhomboidal fcales. When the fifh is 

 caught, it mutters, whence it has got the 

 name of Old Wife. The firfl dorjal-fn 

 is triangular, with excavated femi-circles : it 

 has three rays, of which the firfl is the flrong- 

 efl, and has a (harp edge on the foremofl fide, 

 with a great many very ftiort teeth ; this fin 

 can be folded into the furrow on the back of 

 the fifh, fo that it will fcarce be vifible : the 

 fecond dorfal-fin is not armed, but crenated on 

 the upper margin; it has the figure of a par- 

 allelogram, is oppofite the anus, and has 

 thirty rays, which (except the fecond, which 

 is very long) are all equal in length : the pec* 

 toral-fins are oval, oppofite the firfl dorfal-fin, 

 and have fourteen rays: the ventraljin is 

 fingle, on the middle of the belly, and reaches 

 to the anus ; the firfl ray of it is flrong, fharp 

 edged on the out fide : the twelve lower rays 



hava 



