766 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



'^Tetrasomus camelinus. Truukfish. 



" The writer has never met with specimens of this fish, except 

 one in a private cabinet, labeled 'Atlantic City, N. J.' " 



Family BALISTID^. 



Trigger-fishes. 



Body oblong, covered with rough scales or scutes, not united into 

 a carapace ; mouth small, with incisor-like teeth ; eye near occiput ; 

 gill openings small slits, not behind pectorals ; ventrals absent ; one 

 to three spines in first dorsal. 



BALISTBS, L. 

 B. capriBCUS, Gniel. {/uliginosus, De K.) Leather Jacket. Filefish. 



Brown ; second dorsal and anal with lines ; caudal mottled 

 and with dots; third dorsal spine stouter, but shorter than 

 second ; plates on head like those on body, rough ; a groove in 

 front of eye; tail compressed. Dorsal rays. III — 27; anal 

 rays, 25 ; lateral-line scales, 51 to 57. Gulf of Mexico. 



" This is a very rare species on our coast, but has been met 

 with at Tuckerton and at Cape May." 



MONACANTHUS, Cuv. 

 M. occidentalis, Gunth. 



Brownish, mottled with paler; a broad band across middle of 

 abdominal flap ; scales small ; tail with spines ; snout pointed ; 

 dorsal spine with two rows of barbs behind ; soft rays thirty ; 

 abdominal flap greatly developed, with rough scales. West 

 Indies. Occasional on southern coast of United States. 



M. hispidus, L. {broccus, massachusettensis, seti/er, Stephnnolepis, Canthonnus, 

 BalisteH.) Foolfish. Filefish. Thread Filefish. 



Dull greenish, mottled with darker ; fins olivaceous and 

 blotched ; body deep ; eyes large ; dorsal spine barbed ; pectorals 

 small ; pelvic bone long, ends in a spine; abdominal flap short; 

 each scale with three prickles ; no spines on tail. Soft rays, 32, 



