264 Description of a new species of Diodon. 



Description of an apparently new species of Diodon. By 

 S. L. Mitchill. Read May 28, 1827. 



I received a short time since, through Lieutenant Abraham 

 L. Sands, late of the United States Army, a small fish, which 

 he said was washed on board the brig Ganges of Boston, in 

 latitude 38° N. and longitude 62° W. from Greenwich. The 

 specimen was in such excellent preservation, that all the ich- 

 thyological characters were entire. On examination it seemed 

 to have escaped the attention of former observers; and of 

 course, to be worthy of being announced to the scientific 

 world. It had the orbicular figure, the two-toothed mouth, 

 and the prickly skin of the Diodon family. (See pi. 5. fig 1.) 



It may be ranked among fishes of the smallest size ; for the 

 depth from back to belly, was not more than three quarters 

 of an inch ; and the length, from the mouth to the end of the 

 tail, scarcely an inch ; so that deducting the length of the 

 tail, which does not amount to a quarter of an inch, the figure 

 was a sort of ellipsis, of which the back was one extremity, 

 and the belly the other. The body was rather thick and 

 chubby. Though so small, there was every appearance ot 

 full growth. The colours were olive-brown on the back, and 

 silver-white on the sides and belly. 



Eyes large in proportion to the magnitude of the fish, with 

 white and shining irides ; and situated high in the head, 

 which was associated with the body in such a manner that 

 there was no proper neck. 



The mouth though distinct, was small, with but little pro- 

 minency, and furnished with lips. 



There were no more than four fins, two pectorals, one dor- 

 sal, and the caudal. The pectorals were situated about the 

 centre of the broad side, and consisted, as nearly as I could 

 count them, of sixteen or seventeen rays. The dorsal was 

 situated posterior to the vertex of the back ; stood very erect ; 



