THE FISHING-FROG. 



287 



ANOTHER small family now comes before us, called the Batrachidae, or Frog-fishes, 

 from the froggish aspect of the body and especially of the head. 



The TOAD-FISH is a very curious-looking creature, with its flattened and wide head, 

 gaping mouth, and spacious gill-cover. All the members of this genus are carnivorous 

 fishes, and are spread through the coasts of the tropical regions, where they are mostly 

 found on the bottom and partially buried in the sand or mud in hope of surprising the 

 active prey on which they feed. Some species, however, are found even in the tem- 

 perate seas. 



The Toad-fish inhabits the East Indian seas, and has been taken at the mouth of 

 the Ganges. Its color is brown marked with a much darker tint, and the fins are 

 streaked and blotched with similar colors. The body is without scales. 



TOAD-FISH. Batrachus gruaniens. 



FISHINQ-FROO.-LopA/us plscatorius. 



THE FISHING-FROG, ANGLER-FISH or WIDE-GAB, is not unfrequent on the British coasts, 

 and has long been famous for the habit from which it has derived its popular name. 



The first dorsal fin is almost wholly wanting, its place being occupied merely by 

 three spines, movable by means of certain muscles. The manner in which these spines 

 are connected with the body is truly marvellous. The first, which is furnished at its 

 tip with a loose shining slip of membrane, is developed at its base into a ring, through 

 which passes a staple of bone that proceeds from the head. The reader may obtain 

 a very perfect idea of this beautiful piece of mechanism by taking a common iron 

 skewer, slipping a staple through its ring and driving the staple into a board. It 

 will be then seen that the skewer is capable of free motion in every direction. 



