ON THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA. 135 



only in adults ; ventral flap longer than head, about y$ length of 

 body. Scales on ventral flap developed as flat plates, with their free 

 margins pectinate. Snout pointed, the upper profile concave. Dorsal 

 spine strong, nearly as long as head, armed behind with 2 rows of 

 retrorse barbs ; ventral spine small, rough. Color varying very 

 much with the surroundings of the fish, from dull olive gray to the 

 most vivid grass green ; the markings not well defined and not very 

 constant ; green, with white cirri on sides ; a whitish longitudinal 

 cloud behind pectorals ; a pale band downward and forward from eye ; 

 lower side of head with darker cross bands ; dorsal and anal pinkish, 

 with (usually 3) darker spots at base ; ventral flap edged with scarlet ; 

 caudal greenish, mottled with darker and pale ; some specimens show 

 neither red nor green shades, and have vague, dusky, longitudinal 

 stripes." 



Illustration. Page. 



143. "MONACANTHUS HISPIDUS." 635 1715 

 Turbot; "Head 3f ; depth 1#. D. I, 32 ; A. 32. 



Trigger-fish ; Young slightly deeper ( 1 y 2 ) proportionally than adult. 

 ' Body rather deep. Jaws subequal ; eyes large, about 



Leather Fish • ^ m snout - Gill opening about as long as eye, sep- 

 Horny Cony ; arated from the eye by an interspace nearly equal to 

 Lija. its length. Anterior profile slightly concave. Dorsal 



spine somewhat shorter than snout, more than y 2 head, inserted 

 above posterior part of eye, stout, rough, armed behind with 2 rows 

 of retrorse barbs ; first ray of soft dorsal often filamentous in the 

 adult (male?), its length varying from that of snout to that of depth 

 of body (longest among specimens seen by us is 1 from the Canary 

 Islands) ; pectorals small. Pelvic bone long, ending in a short, blunt, 

 movable spine, beyond which the abdominal flap does not extend. 

 Scales minute, each with a crest of about 3 prickles, those on caudal 

 peduncle villous, those on ventral flap larger, elongate ; no naked 

 areas ; no recurved spines on tail. Color, grass green or olive ; back 

 and sides with faint, irregular whitish spots; head plain; spinous 

 dorsal and caudal green ; second dorsal and anal translucent ; adult 

 less variegated ; dull olivaceous, mottled with dusky. Length, 10 

 inches." Weight to 4 pounds ; average about 2 pounds. 



Caught among the Keys, 9 to 12 line, lf c hook. A game fish. 

 Bait : Crawfish, Crustacea, cut fish, Conch. Edible, C. 



