DIODON RETICULATUS. 89 



tise, has observed, after Cuvier in the Regne Animal, vol. ii. p. 366, 

 " Diodons and Tetrodons are remarkable for being provided with the 

 means of suddenly assuming a globular form by swallowing air, which 

 passing into the crop, or first stomach,* blows up the whole animal like 

 a balloon. The abdominal region being thus rendered the lightest, the 

 body turns over, the stomach becoming the uppermost part ; and the 

 fish floats upon its back, without having the power of directing itself 

 during this state of forced distension. But it is while lying thus bloated 

 and passive at the mercy of the waves, that this animal is really most 

 secure ; for the numerous spines, with which the surface of the body is 

 universally beset, are raised and erected by the stretching out of the 

 skin : thus presenting an armed front to the enemy, on whatever side 

 he may venture to begin the attack." — Fifth Bridgew. Treat, i. 433. 



In the month of July 1836, passing in a boat along the shore about 

 one hundred yards oflp the beach of Caniso, a village to the eastward of 

 Funchal, I observed one of these fishes, of the sort here figured, floating 

 helplessly on the surface, but in a state of partial inflation, and so re- 

 taining the usual position in the water, and not lying belly-upwards. 

 When seized by the hand, it made scarce any effort to escape, though 

 slipping once or twice away from its mere sliminess. It lived for about 

 half an hour after being taken into the boat. 



This fish, though far from common, is tolerably well known to the Ma- 

 deiran fishermen, by whom it is occasionally captured, either floating as 

 above described, or in their shore-nets, or still more rarely with a hook. 

 They regard it with dislike, affirming it to be a great " ladrao" or thief, 

 robbing their lines in fishing of the bait : but this accusation is probably 

 transferred, Avithout much positive authority, from the more common 

 little " Sapo " of the shore, Tetrodon marmoratus, Nob, in which this 

 habit is notorious. Its weight and -unwieldiness are very great in propor- 

 tion to its bulk : and its power with the jaws appears commensurate with 

 its voracity ; their large bony plates, and the general strength and firm- 

 built structure of the head, enabling it to crush with ease any kind of 

 food received into its wide and capacious mouth. The size and transverse 

 shape of this, its thick and blubbery lips, the clumsy form, the breadth 



* It does not appear, however, that this crop is capable of receiving even temporarily the food, as 

 in those birds (the Turkey for example) in which it is equally inflatable by absorption of air. 

 Cuvier calls it first incorrectly " leiu- estomac ;" but adds immediately, " ou plutot une sorte de 

 jabot tres mince et tres extensible qui occupe toute la longueur de I'abdomen en adherant intimement 

 au peritoine, ce qui I'a fait prendre tantot pour le peritoine meme, tantot pour une espece d'epiploon. 

 Lorsqu'ils sont ainsi gonfles, ils culbutent ; leur ventre prend le dessus, et ils flottent a la surface 

 sans pouvoir se diriger ; mais c'est pour eux un moyen de defense, parceque les epines qui gamissent 

 leur peau se relevent ainsi de toute part." — Cuv. R. An. ii. 366. — The passage to this sac is by a 

 sphinctral orifice at the entrance of the gullet. It has no communication with the gills except by 

 way of the mouth through this orifice. It should be called " the air-crop." 



