THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 331 
Family BALISTIDA. 
Balistes carolinensis Gmelin. 
Trigger Fish. 
Head 3; depth 1%; D. III—-11, 22; A. 11, 22, 1; scales about 55 
counted from upper edge of gill-opening to base of caudal, and 
5 more on latter; 35 scales in transverse series between origin of 
rayed dorsal and that of anal; snout 1% in head; eye 574; max- 
illary 5; interorbital space 3% ; first dorsal spine 2*/;); second 
branched dorsal ray 144; first branched anal ray 1°/;9; least 
depth of caudal peduncle 4; lower caudal lobe 14; pectoral 2%. 
Body compressed, deep, rather ellipsoid, with similar convex pro- 
files, and greatest depth falling about pubic process. Edges of 
body rounded. Head large, compressed, lower profile a little 
more convex than upper, which is slightly depressed before eye. 
Eye rounded, a trifle longer than deep, high. Mouth small, 
almost horizontal. Lips fleshy, teeth uniserial, large, and an- 
terior pair in each jaw largest, others all graduated back as 
smaller with notched edges. Interorbital space highly and evenly 
convex.. An oblique groove extending down from front of eye, 
and above this a slight parallel depression containing nostrils, 
which are close together, similar, and posterior about half an 
eye-diameter in front of eye. Gill-opening a slightly oblique 
vertical slit equal to about 1% eye-diameters, placed well behind 
orbit, and its lower edge before and below origin of pectoral. 
Scales all rough, largest and forming horizontal oblique series 
just below pectoral. About 25 scales between maxillary and gill- 
opening. Small scales along bases of rayed vertical fins. Lateral 
line inconspicuous, crooked and undulating. It extends from 
eye back convexly, ascending close to interdorsal space, then 
bends suddenly down nearly opposite antero-median basal region 
of anal to ascend again after forming a V-shaped angle and con- 
tinue along middle of side of caudal peduncle. After interdorsal 
region tubes exceptionally obsolete. Spinous dorsal with its 
origin close behind eye, first spine largest, robust, and anterior 
face asperous, others graduated down. Rayed anal graduated 
