rKNNANT's GLOlili-riSII. 349 



that this animal is really most secure ; for the numerous 

 spines with which the surface of the body is universally beset 

 are raised and erected by the stretching out of the skin, thus 

 presenting- an armed front to the enemy on whatever side he 

 may venture to begin the attack.'"* 



Pennant's fish measured one foot seven inches in length ; 

 the belly when distended, one foot ; the whole circumference 

 when iu that state, two feet six inches. The form of the 

 body is usually oblong ; but when alarmed, it assumes the 

 shape which has been already referred to. The mouth is 

 small ; the irides white, tinged with red ; the back from head 

 to tail almost straight, or at least very slightly elevated ; 

 there are no ventral fins ; the dorsal fin is placed low on the 

 back ; the anal fin is opposite; the tail almost even, divided 

 by an angular projection in the middle. 



The number of fin-rays according to jNIr. Donovan — 



D. 11 : P. 14 : A. 10 : C. 6. 



The back is of a rich blue colour ; the belly and sides 

 silvery white, studded over with straight spines arising from 

 the centre of four rays; the fins and tail brown. The spines 

 in Pennant's representation of this fish are not so thickly set 

 as in the figure of Mr. Donovan, or in the drawing by Dr. 

 Boase ; but the space over which they are spread is alike in 

 all three, — that is, bounded superiorly by the lower jaw and 

 the base of the pectoral fin, and posteriorly by the anal aper- 

 ture. 



* Dr. Roget. Bridgewater Treatise, vol. i. p. 433. 



