4. DIODON. 307 



2. Diodon spinosissimus. 



Willnghby, Hist. rise. tab. J G. 

 Ostraciou, sp., Artedi, Gen. p. GO. no. 20. 

 Crayracion sp. no. lo, Klein, IHsc. Miss. iii. p. 20. 

 Diodon hystrix, var. /3, L. Syst. Nut. p. 413. 



spinosissimus, Cuv. I. c. p. 134. 



melanopsis, Kaup, I. c. p. 228. 



All the spines long, slender, with an anterior ridge between £• pair 

 of grooves, not extending beyond a third of the length of the spine. 

 Upper part of the tail with a pair of spines beside those on the sides. 

 The roots of the spines are strong and long, half as long as the spine, 

 or even longer. There are about seventeen transverse series of 

 spines between the snout and dorsal fin. A more or less distinct 

 blackish band runs from one eye to the other across the throat ; 

 sometimes another vertical band in front of the gill-opening. Upper 

 parts blackish, base of each spine with a black spot (not visible in 

 dried examples). Abdomen white, 



Cape of Good Hope ; Siam, 



a. Twelve inches long : stuffed. Cape of Good Hope. Presented by 

 Sir A. Smith. 



h. Half-grown. Siam, Purchased of Mr. Jamrach. 



c. Adult (111 inches): stuffed. Old Collection. — This is probably 

 • the example from Sir H. Sloane's Collection, examined by 

 Artedi. 



d-e. Adult (15 inches) and half-grown : stuffed. — Types of D. me- 

 lanopsis (Kaup). 



/. Adult. From the Haslar Collection. 



g. Young. From the Collection of the Zoological Society. 



3. Diodon maculatus. 



Diodon tachet^, LacSp. ii. p. 13. 



Diodon novemmaculatus, Cuv. I. c, p. 13G, c. fig. ; Bleek, Nat. Tyds. 



Ned. Ind. iii. p. 567. 



sexmaculatus, Cuv. I. c. p. 136, c. fig. ; Kaup, I. c. p. 229. 



multimaciilatus, Cuv. I. c. p. 136, c. fig. ; Kaup, I. c. p. 227. 



quadrimaculatus, Cuv. I. c. p. 137, c. fig. ; Bleek. Act. iSoc. Sc. 



Indo-Neerl. ii. Amhoina, viii. p. 94. 



spinosissimus, Kaup, I. e. p. 228 (not Cuv.). 



Paradiodon novemmaculatus, Bleek. Atl. Ichth. Oymnod. p. 57, pi. 2. 



fig. 3. 

 quadrimaculatus, Bleek. I. c. p. 58, pi. 8. fig. 2. 



Spines varying in length, with a distinct ridge along tne oasal 

 portion ; those on the posterior part of the back sometimes fixed by 

 the projecting anterior ridge of the spine. Upper part of the tail 

 without ossifications, but a pair of spines lie alongside, their root 

 being on the side of the dorsal fin. The roots of the spines are 

 strong and long. There are from sixteen to nineteen transverse 

 series of spines between the snout and dorsal fin. Generally some 

 tentacles above the eye, on the throat, abdomen, and back. 



x2 



