THE AXLMAL LIFE OF THE GROUP. 367 



is as curiosities, and they are objects of never-fiiiliui;- interest at tlie Aqiiariiun 

 and in natural history collections. 



The name porgy was applied by the Greeks to a red tish of this family -* 

 common in the Mediterranean. Since then the name has been carried over the 

 world by the Spanish and came to be the common name applied to a group of 

 carniverons shore fishes of the tropics which are everywhere esteemed as food. 

 The sinale Hawaiian porgy is the mu.-" In their general shape they somewhat 

 resemble the sea-snappers, having their bass-like mouth armed with several 

 conical canine-like teeth in front. They are greenish in color with two paler 

 cross-bands that extend up into the dorsal fin. 



The Puffers. 



Tile putters ■'" and sharp-nosed puffers ^i are two families, closely related to 

 the i>orcupine fish, that have ten species belonging to four genera in the Hawaiian 

 fauna. The walls of the abdomen are capable of distention so that when in- 

 tl;itc(! Ilie fish appears like an animated glass globe with a head and a tail at- 

 tached. The oopuhue, or keke,-'- is the most abundant species. It is light 

 olive-green covered over the luu-k with pearly spots, the belly being striped with 

 light yellow and pearly, but the colors vary greatly with age. It is an 

 abundant fish in suitable places abovit Honolulu, where it frequents mullet 

 ponds and brackish water generally. When removed from the water they swell 

 up as tight as a drum and remain in this condition until returned to the water, 

 where they will float on their backs in a helpless condition for some time; eventu- 

 ally they collapse and swim off. Cabinet specimens hardened in alcohol will 

 remain in an inflated condition indefinitely. Specimens fourteen inches in 

 length are common. The native name, meaning "sure death," indicates 

 the Hawaiian belief in its poisonous character. The gall doubtless contains 

 an active poison, said by some to have been used on spear-points. Puffers are 

 seldom, if ever, seen in the markets, but are commonly captured in seines in 

 the nuillet ponds. They vary greatly in color with age, while in some the body 

 is smooth and in others more or le.ss covered with prickles. 



The Remora. 



The remoras, disk-heads or sucking-fish,^^ while not commonly met with 



> Tetraodaiilidce. 'i Canthigasterida 



(Description of Plate Continued from Opposite Page.) 



{Holortiitrus microstomus) . 5. Swortlfish [-'^'u] (Xiphias gladim). 6. Mackerel [Opelu 

 ]ialalni] {Scomber japonicns). 7. Ocean Bonito [Aku] (Gymnosarda iielamis). 8. Little 

 Tuna or Bonito [Kawakawa] {Gymnosarda alletterata). 9. Pilot Fish or Romero {Naucra- 

 tes ductor). 10. A Cavalla [Puakahala] {Carangus affinis). 11. Thread Fish [Ulua kihi- 

 kihi] {Alectis ciliitris). 12. Sea Perch [Aholehole] {Kuhlia malo). 1.3. Catalufa [Alalaua] 

 {Priacanlhiis ululniui). 14. Porgie [Mu] {Monotaxi.i grandocuUs) . 15. A Surmullet [Weke 

 ulaula] (Miillonhs flummeus). 16. Goat-fish [Mumu] {P.ieudupeiiem bifasciatus). 17. A 

 WrassH Fisli [OnKika] {Stetliojulis arillaris). 18. A Wrasse Fish [Opule] {Anampses 

 curier) . 



