ANGLER FISHES GILL. 601 



at least all at once and in a jellylike envelope or raft, whose biioA^ancy 

 floats it at the surface of the water; there the fertilized eggs are de- 

 veloped, and the liberated young at first live near the top, but in due 

 time descend to the coral groves and lead the lives of their parents. 



The statement made by Giinther that Antennarii are " carried by 

 currents to the coast of Norway and Xew Zealand, or the northern 

 United States," has not been verified for any true species of A?ite7i- 

 narii/s, and is true only of the species of Pteroj)hryne. The further 

 assertion that " the extraordinary range of some of the species, which 

 inhabit the Atlantic as well as the Indo-Pacific Ocean, is the conse- 

 quence of their habit of attaching themselves to floating objects" 

 is also only applicable to the Pterophrynes. 



The sea toads are not entirely harmless, if we may trust to the 

 observations of Whitmee. According to him, the natives of Samoa 

 '• frequently get stung by the third dorsal spine of this fish when 

 they happen to pick up a block to which it is attached before they are 

 aware of its presence. It causes very great agony, which usually 

 lasts hours, and sometimes two or three days." It is possible or even 

 probable, however, that the really guilty fish is another uncouth ani- 

 mal, somewhat like a sea toad and living in similar positions, but 

 really quite different and known to naturalists as a Synanceia. The 

 spines of sea toads are not well adapted for inflicting harmful 

 wounds. 



PTEROPHRYNE. 



The genus Pterophryne has the body naked or granular and merely 

 provided with cutaneous tags or appendages, the mouth oblique, the 

 caudal peduncle free, the wrists and pectorals comparatively slender, 

 the ventrals elongated, the dorsal fin longish (12) and more than 

 half as long as body, the third dorsal spine mostly free and the anal 

 extended downward and with seven rays. 



" Frog fish," " mouse fish," and " sargasso fish " are the principal 

 popular names which have been given to fishes of this genus; the 

 first is the one best adapted for use here. As to the scientific name, 

 the Pterophryne histrio, it has been claimed, " derives its epithet 

 from the prompt and rapid movements which it gives to its fins and 

 filaments, and which have been compared to scenic gesticulation. 

 Probably it may have been also thus named because it can rapidly 

 swell out its abdomen, and changes its figure, as it were, at will." 

 Such is the explanation given in volume 10 (p. 370) of " The Animal 

 Kingdom," of Cuvier, edited by E. Griffith. It is only necessary to 

 add that Linnaeus did not know the living fish and simph^ gave 

 the name because the varied coloring reminded him of a clown or 

 harlequin. 



