60 



Ancliisomus reticularis, (Kaiip.) Richards. Y07. Herald, 

 Fish p. 161, lA. 31. 



Holocantlius leionothos, Gronov. Syst. ed. Gray, p. 24. 



Tetrodon punctatus, Poey, Repert Fis. nat. Cub. 1868, 

 p. 432. 



A single specimen of this fine fish was obtained in the 

 southern part of the Chesapeake Bay. It is well known to 

 occur in the West Indies, and farther south, but thus far this 

 is the only instance reported of its being found so far north, 

 (Hatteras Inlet.) 



Acad. Coll. 



V— BALISTIDiE. 



BALISTES, Linn. 

 H, capriscus. 



The Turbot, European File Fish, Dusky 

 Balistes. 



Body oblong, elliptical. Back regularly arched ; the 

 facial profile descending obliquely, and slightly curved to 

 the prominent mouth. Depth of the body to its length 

 nearly as one to two ; the length from the snout to the bran- 

 chial aperture, as one to four and a quarter of the total 

 length. Body covered with scales, which are rhomboidal, 

 occasionally triangular or of an irregular shape, with their 

 surface covered with minute, slightly elevated, rounded tuber- 

 cles, occasioning a rough feel to the touch; they are arranged 

 in obliquely decussating series over the whole head and body, 

 and in parallel series along the bases of the dorsal and anal 

 fins, forming a sort of sheath. There are about 32 scales 

 from the origin of the dorsal fin to the vent. A patch of 4 

 or 5 unusually large scales is behind the gill-opening. Eyes 

 large, near the facial outline, and slightly in advance of the 

 first dorsal ray. Nostrils oblong, covered by a membrane ; 

 mouth small ; jaws nearly equal, and covered with thin mem- 

 branous lips. Sixteen teeth above and below. A single 



