1752 Bulletin //, United States National Museum. 



Bay, Florida. The 2 specimens from the Rappahannock agree closely in 

 color, but the 1 from Cape Florida, which appears to be a younger indi- 

 vidual, differs from them somewhat in color. It may be described as 

 being pale yellowish white, with about 50 narrow dark-brown or black- 

 ish rings or circles, each inclosing a circular spot of the pale yellowish 

 white, these circles smallest on the back and not touching each other 

 anywhere ; on the belly they are distant from each other a distance about 

 equal to their own diameter. It seems that as the fish grows older these 

 dark rings approach each other and finally unite to form the reticulations 

 seen in the 2 other specimens. We were at first disposed to regard these 

 specimens as being the young of some known species, or possibly Tricho- 

 diodonpilosufi* (Mitchill), but an examination of De Kay's figure! shows 

 that they can not be MitchilPs species. It is equally apparent that they 

 can not be Cuvier's Diodon asper\ or Giinther's Trichocylus erinaceus$. 

 (Evermann & Kendall.) (ylobosus, spherical.) 



Lyosphcera, globosa, EVERMANN & KENDALL, Bull. IT. S. Fisli Comni. 1897, 131, pi. 9, figs. 

 11 and 12, Rappahannock River, near mouth of "Windmill Creek, Virginia. (Type, 

 No. 48794, U. S. Nat. Mus. Coll. Evermann & Kendall.) 



Family CLXXV. MOLID^E. 

 (THE HEAD-FISHES.) 



Body oblong or more or less short and deep, compressed, truncate behind, 

 so that there is no caudal peduncle. Skin rough, naked, spinous, or tes- 

 sellated. Mouth very small, terminal ; teeth completely united in each j aw, 

 forming a bony beak without median suture, as in the Diodontidcv. Dorsal 

 and anal fins similar to each other, falcate in front, the posterior parts 

 more or less perfectly confluent with the caudal around the tail; no spi- 

 nous dorsal; no ventral fins; pelvic bone undeveloped; pectorals present. 

 Belly not inflatable; gill openings small, in front of pectorals; an acces- 

 sory opercular gill ; no air bladder. Fishes of the open seas, apparently 

 composed of a huge head to which small fins are attached. Genera 3, spe- 

 cies about 6, found in most warm seas, pelagic in habit, and reaching a 

 very large size. The very young are variously shortened in form and 

 armed with spines. These have been often regarded as a distinct genus 

 (Molacanihus} . The flesh in these fishes is coarse and tough, and they are 

 not used as food. ( Gymnodontes, group Molina, Gunther, Cat., vin, 317-320, 

 1870. ) 



MOLINJE : 



a. Body suborbicular, not twice as long as deep; skin thick, rough, gristly, without 

 hexagonal plates. MOLA, 686. 



aa. Body oblong, about twice as long as deep; skin smooth, tessellated, with smooth 

 hexagonal plates. KANZANIA, 687. 



* Diodon pilosus MITCHILL, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soo., Vol. i, 1815, 471, pi. 6, fig. 4. 

 \ De Kay, N. Y. Fauna: Fishes, 326, pi. 55, fig. 180, 1842 

 t Diodon asper, CUVIER, Mem. du Museum iv 1818 

 ^Giiuther, Cat., vn, 316, 1870. 



