234 PISCES. 



FAMILY II. 



SCLERODERMI(l). 



The second family of the Plectognathi is easily distinguished by 

 a conical or pyramidical snout, prolonged from the eyes and termi- 

 nated by a small mouth, armed with a few distinct teeth in each jaw. 

 The skin is usually rough or invested with hard scales; the nata- 

 tory bladder is oval, large, and strong. 



BALISTES, Lin. 



The body compressed; eight teeth in a single row in each jaw, generally 

 trenchant; the skin scaly or granulated, but not exactly osseous; the first dor- 

 sal composed of one or more spines articulated with a particular bone which 

 is attached to the cranium, marked by a furrow into which they are received; 

 the second dorsal long, soft, and placed opposite to a nearly similar anal. 



These fishes abound in the torrid zone, near rocks and on the surface of 

 the water, where they display their brilliant colours. Their flesh, which is 

 but lightly esteemed at all times, becomes, it is said, poisonous during the 

 period in which they feed on the coralline Polypi: fucus is all that I met 

 with in those I opened. 



B. capriscuSy L. (The Mediterranean File-Fish. ) Brownish-grey, spot- 

 ted with blue, or greenish. Its flesh is not esteemed. 



OSTRACION, Lin. 



The head and body of these fishes, instead of scales, are covered with regu- 

 lar bony plates solvered in such a manner as to form a sort of inflexible 

 shield, which invests them, so that the only movable parts are the tail, fins, 

 mouth, and a sort of small lip with which the edge of their gills is furnished, 

 all passing through holes in this coat of mail. 



CHONDROPTERYGII(2). 



The second series of the class of fishes, or the Chondropterygii, 

 can neither be considered as superior nor inferior to that of the 

 Ordinary Fishes, for several of its genera approach the Reptiles in 

 the conformation of the ear while in others the organization is so 

 simple, and the skeleton so much reduced, that we might be ex- 

 cused for hesitating to place them among vertebrate animals. It is 



(1) Rough-skinned. (2) Cartilaginous-finned. 



