PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 271 



Carapace tetragonal. 

 (Carapace with ventral and frontal spines O. arcus, L.) 



NOTES ON AMERICAN SPECIES. 

 OSTR^CION TRIQUETER, Linn. 



Ostracion triqueter, Linn^uS, Syst. Nat. ed. x, 1758, 1, p. 330, No. 1, ed. xii, 1766, 1, p. 

 407. — Blocii, Iclitliyologie, iv, 1787, p. 106, taf. cxxx. — Gmelin, Linn. Syst. 

 Nat. i, 1788, p. 144L— Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. etc., i, 1798, p. 444 ; ed. ii, 1819, 

 ii, p. 331, pi. xiv, fig. i.— Schneider, BIocli, Syst. Iclith. 1801, p. 498.— Shaw, 

 Gen. Zool. v, 1804, p. 420. — Cuvier, Regno Animal, ed. i, 1817, p. 154; ed. ii, 

 1829, ii, p. 376, note. — Mijller & Groschel in Scliomburgk's Hist. Barbados, 

 1848, p. 677. — Kaup, Arch, fiir Naturg. 1855, p. 217. — Hollard, Ann. Sci.Nat. 

 vii, 1856, p. 154. — Bleeker, Atl. Ichth. v, 1865, p. 26. — GDnther, Cat. Fish 

 Biit. Mils, viii, 1870, j). 256. 



Ostracion triquetrum, Poey, Mem. Sob. Hist. Nat. Cuba, ii, 1861, p. 361 ; Rep. Fis. Nat. 

 Cnba, ii, 1868, 13.442; Euum. Pise. Cnbens. 1876, p. 176. 



Ostracium triquetrum, Cope, Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. 1870, p. 475. — Goode, Cat. Fish Ber- 

 mudas, 1876, p. 23; Amer. Journ. Sci. and Arts, 1877 (Oct. ), p. 290. 



Ehinesomus triqueter, Swainson, Nat. Hist. Fish. Rept. and Amphib. 1839, ii, p. 323. 



Piscis triatujuJaris ex toto cornibus carens, Lister in App. Willughby Hist. Pise. 1686, p. 

 20.— Ray, Syn. M(^tbod. Pise. p. 45, No. 9. 



Ostracion triangulus, iuhercidis exiguis innumeris, aculeis carens, Artedi, Gen. Pise. 1738, 

 p. 57, No. 10 ; Syn. Pise. 1738, p. 85, No. 14. 



Ostracion polyodon inermis triqueter, IjINNMVS, Mus. Adolphi Frederici, i, 17.54, p. 60. 



L' Ostracion maille, LACKPtiDE, 1. c. 



Cuckold, Bermudas. ' 



Chapin, Cuba. 



Drunken-fish, Triinkfish, Plate-fish, or Fair Maid, Barbados. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Bermudas (Goode). 



Jamaica (Glinther). 



Cayenne (Giinther). 



Cuba (Poey). 



Gulf of Mexico (Hollard). 



Bahia (Castelnau). 



St. Martins (Cope). 



Tortugas (National Museum). 

 Trinidad (Giinther). 

 Barbados (Schomburgk). 

 St. Croix (Cope). 

 Mexico (Hollard). 

 Brazil (Cope). 

 Vera Cruz (Cope). 



Ostracions with triagoual carapace, without spines. Height slightly 

 greater than lialf the length of the body without the caudal, breadth 

 equal to lialf the length of the body in adults, greater in young. Ven- 

 tral surface of carapace convex anteriorly, concave posteriorly. Back 

 elevated compressed, sides joining at an angle of about thirty degrees. 

 Carapace continuous behind dorsal fin. Head contained three times in 

 length of body. Interorbital space concave. Upper surface of snout 

 concave. Diameter of eye contained eight to nine times in total length, 

 four to four and one-half in height of side. 



Teeth long, spike-like, eight to ten in upper jaw; eight to ten in lower 

 jaw. 



Scales of the sides hexagonal, in young with strite radiating from 



