FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 59 
The Diodontide, or porcupine fishes, are quite common about 
Makuluva but too large to justify us in preserving specimens. 
Alfred speared a big one and brought it in alive so we could ob- 
serve its enormous powers of inflation. It made a definite grunt- 
ing sound when irritated and we noted that it had workable eye- 
lids and could completely close its eyes, giving it a very wearied 
expression. It appeared to be Diodon hystrix, a species found in 
the warmer parts of both the Atlantic and Pacific. We had part 
of this specimen for dinner and found it fairly good eating. 
The little fish mentioned on page 45 evidently belongs to the 
Scorpenide, or scorpion fishes, which includes a number of species 
with poisonous spines. The ‘‘lion fish,’’ so much feared by the 
Barbadians, is an excellent example. Our specimens have been 
kindly identified by Dr. Barton W. Evermann as belonging to the 
species Sebastapistes laotale. This genus was first described by 
Jordan and Evermann,’ who regard the spine before the eye as 
characteristic of the genus. The specimens secured by us are small, 
usually not more than three inches long, but they are venomous 
looking little villains, and I can well believe that it was one of 
these that stung me so painfully while we were on the Makuluva 
flats. The head fairly bristles with thorny spines, particularly 
the operculum and preoperculum; there are others above and just 
back of the eye and a pair looking like miniature horns just in 
front of the upper part of the orbit. There are several fleshy tags 
about the operculum, nostrils and edges of the jaws which add to 
the general ugliness of the fish. Its colors are mottled brown and 
yellowish, resembling the surface of the reef rocks on which it 
lives. Certainly it is a repulsive looking creature and lives up to 
its appearance. I know of no other fish of its size that can in- 
flict such severe pain on the uncautious collector as can this little 
Sebastapistes. Dr. Evermann writes me as follows: ‘‘This species 
which you collected is regarded as particularly vicious.’’ Another 
specimen closely allied to this was considerably larger, measuring 
nearly six inches. 
Among the reef fishes was one greatly resembling the ‘‘red 
hind’’ of the West Indies as described by Evermann. It is one 
of the groupers and a finely marked fish. The genus Epinephelus 
1 The Shore Fishes of the Hawaiian Islands, 1905, page 455. 
