224 FISHES OF AUSTRALIA. 



BOX-FISHES OR TRUNK-FISHES. 



( Family : Ostraciontidce. ) 



THE remarkable fishes which form this family are 

 totally unlike any that we have so far discussed ; as, in these, 

 the skin of the body forms a hard, continuous carapace, 

 consisting of hexagonal plates laid together like a mosaic 

 pavement. The only portions of the skin that are not hard- 

 ened are those immediately around the mouth, tail, and fins, 

 so as to enable these to have a free movement. 



Several interesting Box-Fishes inhabit our waters. One 

 of these is the Linked Box- Fish (Lactophrys concatenates). 

 This is a funny-looking little fellow with a three-sided body 

 and a most severe-looking little face. It is of a deep-greenish 

 colour, and is usually of small size. It is not uncommon 

 on parts of the New South Wales coast, being obtainable in 

 small numbers at all times on the bottom off Vaucluse, in 

 Port Jackson. 



Fig. 79. HORNED Box-Fisn (Ostracion cornutum). 



Another one of these curious and quaint-looking crea- 

 tures is the Horned Box-Fish (Ostracion cornutum). This 

 attains to a length of about 15 inches, and has a four-sided 

 carapace, with two long spines, like horns, jutting straight 

 out from the top of the head, and two more of about equal 

 length below the tail. (This is the species in our illustration.) 

 It occurs also in India. 



Other kinds also are found in our seas ; principal 

 among which is the Lenticular Box-Fish ' Aracana 

 lenticularis) . 



