280 PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



spine upon the dorsal crest, by its oblique profile, and by the hexagonal 

 or irregular black ring with large yellowish centre which is plainly visi- 

 ble upon each ])late of the back and the flanks ; while Ostracion Grono- 

 vii is easily recognized by the greater length of the frontal and preanal 

 spines, by the absence of the median dorsal spine, and by the very oblique 

 profile of the snout. Ostracion tricornis, Linn., which appears to be 

 identical with the species described by Hollard as Ostracion maculatus, 

 is marked by its nearly vertical profile and by longitudinal brown bands 

 upon the cheeks. Ostracion (juineensis is marked by the subvertical 

 profile of 0. tricornis, but has cheeks without bands, and the plates of 

 the carapace ornamented with a central ocella of pearl color or blue." 



The largest specimens, or the two types 0. quadricornis and " 0. macu- 

 latus,^^ in the Paris Museum, had, according to Hollard, the following 

 dimensions : 



O. quadricornis. O. maculatus. 

 M. M. 



Total leugth 0.400 0.390 



Height 0.1.-)0* 0.1-20 



Cephalic region 0.063 0.050 



Tail-stem 0.060 0.080 



Caudal 0.080 0.080 



Abdomiual width 0.090 



The presence of plates upon the caudal peduncle is apparently acci- 

 dental. They may possibly have some relation to sex, but certainly 

 none to age. Out of fourteen specimens examined five had plates above 

 and below, one had two above, and six had none. In none of the speci- 

 mens can I distinguish traces of the spine in the middle of the dorsal 

 ridge mentioned by Dr. Giiuther. The color of young* specimens is well 

 described by Glinther ; the bands on the cheek are, however, of a bright 

 blue. Adult specimens are colored in a rich bright blue or green, lighter 

 in the centre of each hexagonal plate, giving the appearance of annular 

 markings, which quickly vanishes after death. In some individuals the 

 color is worn from the ridges of the carapace, leaving patches of light 

 brown. Bleeker claimed for his species Ostracion notacantlms a pecuhar 

 system of coloration, but it is in nowise different from that of the ordi- 

 nary type of 0. quadricornis.] The largest specimens are 21 inches 

 long. 



In the Bermudas the Cow-fish is, I was told, much esteemed for food, 

 and is frequently baked whole in its shell. The popular name, like the 

 Cuban "toro" and the Jamaican "cuckold," refers to the two horn-like 

 supraorbital spines. 



* Misprinted 0.015. 



t "Mais en outi-e le systfeme de coloration de I'espece que je crois nouvelle est tr^s dif- 

 ferent, chaque bouclier de la tcte, du dos et des flaucs dtant omd d'un anneau violet ou 

 noiratre d'une forme hexagoue, j)entagone, quadrangulaire ou meme ronde, et a centre 

 large orange ou rougeiitre. On ne voit rien de pareil sur le corps du quadricornis. 

 Puis encore, la queue est brunatre et a taches jauuatres et les pectorales ont un rayon 

 de plus. Je nomme cette espece nouvelle Ostracion notacanthus." — M^moire sur 1© 

 Poissons de la Cote de Guin^e par P. Bleeker, p. 21. 



