ill NATURAL HISTORY OF IIAWAll. 



cousins, are mostly small high-colored fish and are peculiar in the development 

 of small spines almost everywhere over the sui'face of the body. The name 

 refers to the noise they make when taken out of the water, which suggests the 

 bark of the squirrel. The stripes on some species also add to their squirrel- 

 like appearance. 



The Surgeon-Fishes. 



The siirgeon-fishes or tangs -''- are herbivorous inhabitants of the tropical 

 seas, notably abundant about the coral reefs and in the tide pools along the 

 shore. They undergo great changes with age, the young often having been 

 described as distinct genera. Hawaii has five genera and perhaps a dozen 

 and a half species of these interesting fishes. They are mostly dark in color, 

 with some vivid color added, and all have an armament developed on the side 

 of the tail. In some genera this armament consists of a movable spine set with 

 the point tvirned forward which can be dropped down into a sheath-like groove. 

 In other genera one or two sharp knife-like plates are rigidly attached to the 

 side of the tail. It is from these spines that the fishes derive their common 

 names, surgeon-fish, doctor-fish, or lance-fish, and they form very efifective 

 weajioiis against their enemies, be they fish or man. 



The ])M knikui ■''" is common about Ilnndliilu. and may be recognized by its 

 brown cdidr, which is relieved by an oriiimr p;itcli about the murderous spine 

 on the side nf tile tail. The nae-nae ''^ is (ilivaceous and has a bright spot on 

 the slmuldcr. The ]uudu ■''■'' is a common species in the Honolulu market. It is 

 brown in color and has four or five golden longitudinal bauds on the dorsal 

 fin antl four similar ones on the anal. The most abundant member of the 

 extensive genus, however, is the delicious panfish known to everyone as 

 manini."' They are almost daily offered for sale in the markets; their dull 

 olive-gray bodies crossed by five narrow vertical lines renders their identity 

 easy and certain. They are seldom more than seven or eight inches in length, 

 but their small size is more than made up for by their delicate flavor when 

 fried. They are fearless shore fishes, usually to be seen in pools in small 

 schools. The young are often trapped in holes in the rocks along shore as the 

 tide recedes, where they swim about without alarm, patiently awaiting the 

 return to the sea. They are hardy and thrive in the Aquarium, where their 

 stripes have won for them the popular name of convict-fish. 



The kalii,"'' or unicorn-fish, is an abundant member of the family. In addi- 

 tion to the two large pale blue, blunt, innnovable spines on the tail, placed one 

 in front of the other, it has as a special distinctive mark ;i long horn growing 

 forward from the cranium above the eyes. 



The Go.\t-Fish. 



The surmullets, or goat-fislr'"*, are shore fishes of moderate size and 

 possess the notable features of two bnig uubranebed liarbnles of firm sub- 



'"- Acanlhuriihr. '■'' Hrimtiis achUli-s. '■' Ueimliis ulirureiis. -'^ nejiatiis innithi-ri. 



<•' Hepatiis sni,dnre,isi.i. ^- Acaiithunis innruinw. '^ ilullula: 



