854 COXTEIBUTIONS TO XOETH AMEEICAX ICHTHYOLOGY — lY. 
hi. Supraocular spines present, strong, directed forward. (Acanihostrachim Bleeker.) 
O. quadricoriie L,.— Cow-fish ; Cuckold. 
Color brown, yellow, blue, or green, with irregular blue blotches; the 
centers of the scutes often lighter than the margins. Carapace trigonal ; 
adults with a broad low ridge on each side of the back, the dorsal ridge 
more elevated than in the young, which are somewhat tetragonal, Yen- 
tral siu’face nearly flat; angles of body carinate; a stout spine directed 
forwards over each eye; abdominal spines flat, directed backward; me- 
dian dorsal spine seldom present, never persistent; bridges behind dor- 
sal and anal each ending in a flat spine; under side of caudal peduncle 
with a free plate; carapace closed behind dorsal fin. Head 4f ; depth 
2^. D. 10; A. 10. Tropical parts of the Atlantic; common on our coast 
southward. 
(Liimieus, Syst. Xat. x, 331, 1758; Giintlier viii, 257; Goode, Proc. U. S. Xat. Mus. 
1-79, 278.) 
Family CXXYIIL— BALISTID.E. 
[The Trigger-fishes.) 
Body oblong, or ovate, more or less compressed, covered with rough 
scales or scutes of varying structure, the scutes not forming a carapace. 
IMouth small, terminal, low; jaws short, each with one or more series of 
separate incisor-like teeth ; eye near the occiput ; preorbital very deep. 
Gill-openings small, slit-like, above or in front of the pectoral fins. 
Dorsal fins two, the anterior of one to three spines, the first spine high- 
est; second dorsal remote from the first, of many soft rays; caudal fin 
rounded or forke^l; ventral fins wanting, their place sometimes occu-, 
pied by a single spine at the end of the very long, usually movable, 
pubic bone. Genera about 8; species about 100. Carnivorous fishes; 
inhabitants of the warm seas. 
(Balislidce, group BaUstina, Giintlier, viii, 211-255.) 
a. Dorsal spines three ; body covered with thick scales or plates. (Balistince.) 
Balistes, 477. 
aa. Dorsal spine single or followed by a rudiment; skin with minute, rough scales. 
(Monacanthinw.) 
b. Ventral spine present; gEl-slit short, nearly vertical ; anal rays about 30. 
Moxacaxtiius, 478. 
hi. Ventral spine obsolete; gill-slit long, ohliqne; anal rays about 40 to 50. 
Alutera, 479. 
477. — BAIilSTES Linujeus. 
Trigger-fishes. 
(Artedi; Linnseus, System a Xaturse, 1758: type Balistes veittlus 'L.) 
Body compressed, covered with thick, rough scales or plates. Both 
