1700 Bulletin 4.7, United States National Museum. 



to shoot; balista, an instrument for throwing arrows, in allusion to the 

 trigger-like spine ; the word is taken directly from the Italian name Pesce 

 Balistra, cross-bow fish.) 



CAPRISCUS : 



a. Lateral* line complete, beginning on the lower part of cheek, thence extending 

 upward to behind eye, thence backward to beyond first dorsal, thence abruptly 

 downward to above anal, then upward and at last horizontally backward on 

 caudal peduncle, the line everywhere much undulated, the lines of the two sides 

 connected by a cross line at the nape ; dorsal fin falcate or filamentous ; dorsal 

 rays about III, 27; A. 25. 



&. Scales quite small, about 70 to 75 in a lengthwise series ; dorsal and anal unmarked 

 or nearly so. POLYLEPIS, 2114. 



bb. Scales moderate, in about 60 (50 to 65) in a lengthwise series. 

 c. Body with few blue spots or none. 



rf. Dorsal and anal fins plain dusky olive; scales 50. NAUFRAGIUM, 2115. 



dd. Dorsal and anal with oblique dark bands of bluish spots; young 



clouded, and with vague, dusky blotches at base of dorsal ; scales 



about 60. CAROLINENSIS, 2116. 



cc. Body covered with roundish blue-black spots; dorsal and anal similarly 



spotted. FORCIPATUS, 2117. 



BALISTES : 



aa. Lateral line incomplete, usually developed only on head, nape, and caudal peduncle ; 

 cheek with 2 broad curved blue bands; smaller bands radiating from eye; dorsal 

 in adult with the anterior rays filamentous. D. Ill, 28 or 29; A. 25 to 27; scales 

 60 to 63 ; dorsal and anal with oblique bluish bands ; 37 scales between origin of 

 dorsal and vent. VETULA, 2118. 



Subgenus CAPRISCUS, Kafinesque. 

 2114. BALISTES POLYLEPIS, Steindachner. 



(FEZ PUERCO.) 



Head 3 to 3; depth If ; snout 1 in head ; eye 5 in head. D. Ill, 27 ; A. 

 25 or 26 ; scales 70 to 75. Caudal peduncle unarmed. Upper profile mod- 

 erately elevated. Eight teeth in each jaw ; a group of large plates behind 

 gill opening ; a groove below the nostril. Dorsal and anal much elevated 

 in front, the longest rays about as long as head in the adult ; caudal con- 

 cave, with its angles much produced ; pectoral short ; lateral line exactly 

 as in Balistes carolinensis. Color brown, a half ring at the corner of the 

 mouth ; diffuse blue spots on nape and about spinous dorsal ; vertical fins 

 nearly plain olivaceous. Lower California to Panama, generally common ; 

 a large species, reaching a length of 2 feet. (TtoXvS, many; XertiS, scale.) 



Batistes polyUpis, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr.,v, 21, 1876, Magdalena Bay; Mazatlan; 

 Acapulco. 



2115. BALISTES NAUFRAGIUM, Jordan & Starks. 

 (PEZ PUERCO DE LAS PIEDRAS.) 



Head 3; depth If. D. Ill, 27; A. 24; scales 50, 12 rows on cheek ; snout 

 li in head; eye 5; first dorsal spine If; longest ray 1 ; longest anal ray If ; 

 upper caudal lobe 1$ pectoral 2. Body very plump, not strongly com- 



* The lateral line in these fishes is usually not noticeable unless the scales are dry. 



