ORTHRAGORISCUS. 191 



description and figure of Tetrodon mola ^), the drawing given 

 by Schlegel of a specimen captured in Japan ^), the trea- 

 tise of Jan Plancus ^), Yarrel's drawing *), Harting's minute 

 description and accurate drawing of Orthragoriscus ozodura 

 mentioned before , Steenstrup and Lütken's detailed des- 

 cription of Mola nasus ^), and Day's figure^). However I 

 can hardly believe that these 7 specimens of Orthrago- 

 riscus belong to one species. 



First and foremost I wish to call attention to the pre- 

 sence or the absence of the folded band between the body 

 and the caudal fin. Such a folded band is distinctly visible 

 in the drawings , mentioned of Retzius , Schlegel , Plancus 

 and Yarrel , not however in those of Harting and Day , 

 whilst Harting expressly states the absolute absence of 

 such a band in the specimen described by him. Steenstrup 

 and Lütken , too , in the description of Mola nasus , state 

 that dorsal and anal fin are distinctly separated from the 

 body by a deep fold of the skin , whereas the thick caudal 

 fin runs on unbroken with the body '). 



Retzius mentions, that, on being dried, the folds in the 

 band (Rynkbandet) disappear altogether, and so it is not 

 impossible , that this band was overlooked , when stuffed 

 specimens were examined and described. Still its presence 

 may even in a dried state be very distinctly noted. Whe- 

 reas namely, owing to dermal ossifications, the skin of 

 whole the body as well as that of the caudal fin is covered 

 all over with small pricks of various size , these pricks are 

 not found on the folded band , except on the ridges of 

 that band. In a dried state that folded band is clearly 

 distinct from the rest of the skin , and appears as a smooth 



1) Retzius, Vet. Ac. Nya Handl. VI, 178B, p. 115, tab. 4. 



2) Fauna Japonica, Poissons, tab. CXXVII. 



3) Jan Plancus, Comm. Inst. Bonon. Ill, p. 331, tab. 8. 



4) Yarrel, British Fishes, 3rd edition, p. 433, 



5) Steenstrup and Liitken, Overs. Dansk. Vid. Selsk. Forh. 1863, p. 36. 



6) F, Day, The Fishes of Great Britain and Ireland , vol, II, pi. CXLVIII. 



7) 1 c. p. 37: -/tykke Halefinne , der gik i Eet med Kroppen." 



Notes from ttie Leyden IVCuseuixi , "Vol. XJI. 



