BARBADOS-ANTIGUA EXPEDITION 71 
swelled out. The ‘‘old-wife’’ grows to a considerable size and 
is laterally compressed to an extraordinary degree. It is one of 
the trigger fishes (Balistes) but much larger than any of the 
others. It is greenish in color with curious diagonal lines of 
light blue on the sides of the head and the pectorals, and also 
on the caudal fins. These trigger-fish are so named because the 
first dorsal has three spines, the first of which is very strong 
and erect and is “‘set’’ by the compression of the second spine. 
The ‘‘old-wife’’ is regarded as a particularly good food-fish. 
Some of these reef fishes are dangerous to the collector, who 
should be constantly on his guard while working about the reefs. 
I have already referred to the moray, of which there are several 
species. Individuals are quite local in their habitat and apt to 
lurk under masses of coral rock, from which they dart out after 
their prey or the incautious collector. As said before, they are 
utterly fearless. Perhaps the most dreaded fish in these waters 
is the ‘‘lion-fish,’’ of which we heard many fearful tales of the 
fishermen and divers, who are in mortal dread of this creature. 
One specimen was caught in one of the fish-pots. It is probably 
a Scorpena of some kind. It lurks among the sea-weed in shal- 
low water and is said actually to attack human beings, inflicting 
exceedingly troublesome wounds with the poisonous spines of 
the dorsal fins and particularly those on the preoperculum. It 
is a decidedly ugly fish in appearance, with enormous warty 
and tag-like protuberances. The tags, together with the dull 
blotchy colors render it very inconspicuous while lurking in 
the shadows. On one occasion Albert had a lively fight with a 
lion-fish which he attacked under water with his knife, while 
diving for specimens. The ‘‘bat-fish’’ is another very bizarre 
form caught in these waters. It is the Ogcocephalus vespertilio 
of writers and attains a length of about twelve inches. It has 
a brownish back with dark spots and greatly depressed body, 
and its leg-like fins give it a strangely grotesque appearance. 
But one specimen was secured and that was taken from a fish- 
pot. 
Taking it all in all, the fish-pots were a good investment, 
yielding numerous specimens and affording some of the most 
interesting and instructive experiences of our life at Pelican 
Island. It is greatly to be regretted that these beautiful speci- 
