146 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



OSTRACIIDiE. 



166. Ostracion tricorne L. Cuckold; Cow-fish. 



{Ostracion tricomis and qnadricornis L.) 



Common, the young living in algae near the shore, the adult in deeper 

 water, isot brought to the markets. 



Color light gray, tinged with olive ; belly white | head and carapace 

 with round spots of rather light blue, these sometimes forming more or 

 less interruj)ted longitudinal stripes ; about four of these stripes on 

 cheeks ; tail above with blue, brown-edged spots ; dorsal olive, its 

 base blackish ; caudal olive, edged and mottled with light blue : anal 

 similar; pectorals olive. 



There seems to be no doubt that the 0. tricomis and 0. quadricornis 

 of Linngeus refer to the same species. The former name, occurring ear- 

 lier in the genus, should have precedence. 



167. Ostracion trigonum L. Shell-fish. 



With the iireceding and equally common. 



Olive gray ; a very faint blue spot in the center of most of the scales; 

 nostril in a yellow spot ; boundaries of upper scutes blackish, of lower 

 bluish ; outlines of various scutes behind gill-opening black, forming 

 a dusky area ; a similar smaller dusky area on sides on level of eye ; 

 iris yellow; fins all pale olive ; vent yellow ; belly light olive, the 

 outlines of the scutes bluish ; base of pectorals yellowish. 



168. Ostracion triquetnim L. HocJc Shell-fish. 



Scarce ; only a few very young specimens taken. 



Color in life light olive; covered everywhere above and below with 

 round darker spots of greenish blue, about as large as pupil; fins plain; 

 the caudal peduncle with a few spots. 



TETRODONTIDiE. 



169. Chilomycterus geometricus (Blocli). 

 Moderately abundant ; taken with seine in algse. 



170. Diodon hystrix L. 



One specimen obtained ; brought by a fisherman from the Tortugas. 



171. Tetrodon nephelus Goode & Beau. Sivelling-fish. 



Common; young taken with seine in the eel-grass; adult, a foot in 

 length, with hook and line from the fishing smacks. 



Adult olive brown, with numerous small light-bluish or greenish spots 

 everywhere, many of them forming ocelli around darker spots of the 

 ground color. Numerous scattered black spots as large as the pupil, 

 one in axil below most distinct ; some obscure dark spots along sides of 

 belly, this region being flesh color, with pale rivulations ; pectorals yel- 

 lowish ; caudal pale, usually with two dusky shades. 



