CHINA. 1751. 365 



in two hours time. The Chinefe, who affirmed 

 the fact, feeing me take the fifh into my hands* 

 earneftly defired me to wafh myfelf, adding 

 that it is forbidden under fome great penalty, 

 to be fold among other fifh. It is very like to 

 the Tetrodon lagocephalon, and is able to blow 

 itfelf up, which makes its fore part look like 

 the bread of a cropper pigeon. Yet it differs 

 m fome things from the Iail mentioned fifh, 

 as in the number of rays in the back-fin, which. " 

 is feldora found to vary in the fame fpecies :' 

 the fame likewife happens to it fometimes with 

 refpecT: to the other fins ; not to mention the 

 colour, and fome lefs conftant marks, which 

 however, upon the whole, diftinguifh it pretty 

 well from all other fifties-. 



This fifh has an operculum branchiojlcguvi 

 on each fide : the dorfal-fin is fingle, directly 

 oppofite, the anal-fin is oval, and has fifteen 

 rays : the pecloral-fin has eighteen divided rays, 

 It has no ventral-jins. The anal-fin is oval, 

 and has eleven rays : the tail is truncated, and 

 has eight ramofe rays : the two lad fins are 

 moveable according to the fifh's inclination. 

 The body is globofo-oval, with a Jkin over it. 

 Its length is fcarce a quarter of a yard. The 

 back "is green: the line en the fides is bent: 



the 



