Tin: K8BZ1WJV00. 



length. Its color is nitlii-r dull oruiure aU>\e. \\ith bluish rril.-ctioris. and uhitc lielow. 

 fins are of a rather deep orange hue. 



Tim 



small family now comes before us, called the l-'i-r ti-h.-s, from the froggish 

 aspect of the lNid\. and espTiall\ <>f tin- head. 



Tin- To.\i> M-II is a M-r\ cuiic.ii-. liHtkinu' creature, with its flattened and wide head. 

 gaping mouth, and spacious u'ill co\.-r. All tin- iiiemU-rs of this p*nus are carnivorous tihi->. 

 and are spread through the coasts of the tropical re-ions. \\in-n- tli-\ are mo-ily found on tin* 

 l-ottomand partialh buried in tin- sand or mud, in hope of .surprising th<- activ. ],n-\ on which 

 thi-y feed. Some sixx-ies, however, are found -v-n in tin- tfin|HM-at4- M-as. 



The Tojid ti-li inliahit.s the Boat Indian seas, and has been taken at tin- mouth of the 

 i , ,n_.--. [ts color i.i brown, maifad -^ i:ii :' iii'fii 'in .v ; tini. :m i iti" I'm- Rn ^M--ak"d and 

 bl-Kched with similar colors. The l>ody is \\iilioiit scales 



BOOUH. 



The Toad-fishes, family Batr ui- included, twelve species in five genera. They 



are carnivorous coast fishes, mostly of the warmer seas. Tho young of some fasten themselves 

 upon rocks by means of ventral discs, which, however, disappear. Common names of them 



' '; -' ' fish :!iid >:iri.. 



TMK FIMII\I;-KI:... AN..I 1:1: i i-ii. or \Vn>B-GAB, which is shown in the lower figure of 

 the illustration on page 342, has long been famous for the habit from which it has d.-riv.-d ji- 



The first dorsal fin is almost wholly wanting, ii^ plm-e being occupied merely by three- 

 spin.'<. movable by means of certain muscles. Th- m:inn*-r in which these spines are connected 

 with the body is truly marvellous. The first, which is furnished at it.s tip with a loose shining 

 slip of memor.me, is devclo^l at its bas<- into a rin_. ilirouirh which jiasses a staple of \ 

 that I'roceeds from the head. The reader may obtain a very i-rf.-<-t idea of this beautiful 

 pi ...... of mt-chanism by taking a common iron skewi-r. slipping a siaj.le through its ring and 



drivinir the staple into a board. It will then In- SHMI that tin- skewi-r is capat)le of free motion 

 in very direction. 



The second spine is arrange! after a somewhat similar fashion, but is only capable of 

 U-ini: moved backwards and forward v l-'i>hinur-Froirs an- som times found in the shops, and 

 th>- imjuiring reader will find hiin^-lf amp!\ r.-paid if he purchases one of these fishes and 



