140 The South Australian Naturalist. 



the Saddle-head, the Velvet fishes and Pigfishes. Prow Fish is 

 a new name .sugg:ested for members of the Pataccidae, which 

 in itself, was bestowed in allusion to little standing, smiling 

 fi Inures placed in the prow of Phoenician vessels as emb'ems of 

 good luck. The Cling Fishes of another order derive their 

 name from the habit of attaching themselves to stones and 

 seaweed by means of a sucker on the under side of the body. 

 They live mainly in rock pools, and when a wave rushes 

 through their domain they quickly attach themselves, and so 

 are not washed out or hurt. The name of Frog-fish or Angler- 

 fish is bestowed on members of the next order in allusion to the 

 interesting method of securing food. These fishes bear, at the 

 extremity of the snout, a movable and flexible rod, the end of 

 which is furnished with a fleshy lure of attractive colour. The 

 fish lies quiet and concealed, but gently moves its lure on per- 

 ceiving a prospective victim, which, if sufficiently deceived, is 

 promptly engulphed in the peculiarly formed vertical mouth of 

 the angler. The Leather Jackets and Box Fishes form the 

 next order. The first-named are so familiar that further notice 

 miffht be passed over were it not for a peculiarity of structure 

 that is scarcely appreciated even by fishermen. The most 

 obvious character of a newly caught Leather Jacket is the large 

 anc^ apparently fixed spine that stands above the eye. Few are 

 aware that this spine can be depressed at the will of the living 

 fish : fewer still that it can be depressed by man against the 

 will of the fish. Close behind the large spine is another small 

 one, easily overlooked : no amount of force or coaxing will 

 depress the big spine from its defensive position; if, however, 

 the little spine be pressed the big one is unlocked and can be 

 moved up or down as long as the little one is held. The bodies 

 of Box Fishes are enclosed within a hard shell, the continuity 

 of which is broken only about the mouth, gill-slits, and fins, so 

 as to enable the fish to eat, breathe, and swim. The last order 

 includes the Toados, Porcupine Fishes, and the Sunfish. The 

 former are known to every boy at the seaside ; when drawn 

 from the water the fish puffs itself out with air, a process that 

 may be and frequently is accelerated by rolling it between the 

 hands. None of the Toados should be eaten; the flesh is 

 poisonous. The Porcupine Fishes differ from the Toados 

 mainly in having only a single plate-like tooth in each jaw ; in 

 the latter the plate is divided in the middle, whence the name 

 Tetraodon, or four-tooth-bearer. The Sunfish has two great 

 balancing fins, one above, the other below, but practically no 

 propeller, its tail being just a finish to the body. The fish is, 

 therefore, greatly subject to the vagaries of wind and wave, 

 and occurs sporadically in all warm and temperate seas. It is 



