No. 2.] LINE SYSTEM OF BATRACHUS TAU. 225 



I. Adult Form. 

 General Description. 



There is something singularly grotesque in the appearance 

 of the toadfish ; and, as its name would imply, there is a 

 superficial resemblance to the familiar batrachian. The slug- 

 gish disposition, the mottled brown and gray of the wrinkled, 

 scaleless skin, the depressed head and toadish eyes do not 

 suggest the typical teleost. The young fish also are tadpole- 

 like in their form and motions. 



From PI. XVII, Figs. 1-3, it will be seen that there are quite 

 conspicuous projections of the skin on the head. Besides the 

 paired flaps found in connection with the sense organs, there 

 are other single, often longer projections to be found, which 

 become laciniated in the older fish. These are especially 

 prominent about the mouth, fringing the margin of the lower 

 mandible and opercular regions, while over each eye rises a 

 broad conspicuous flap, giving an owl-like facial expression. 

 The goosefish (Lophius) and the sea raven (Hemitripterus) 

 also possess these somewhat ornamental appendages about the 

 mouth. The function of these skinny tentacles seems evidently 

 to be for protection, as they strikingly resemble both in color and 

 form the seaweed (fucus) that abounds near their favorite haunts. 



The toadfish frequents the shallow water of bays and inlets 

 of the sea, ranging on the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to 

 Florida. 



It is abundant at Woods Holl, Mass., and is easily obtain- 

 able in the month of June, during the spawning season. At 

 this time the fish resort in pairs to large stones, usually near 

 low watermark, and scooping out a cavity beneath, remain for 

 days in their retreat. The toadfish of the Eel pond near the 

 laboratory seem to prefer the debris of civilization to the 

 excavation beneath the rock ; for example, tin cans, old boots, 

 broken jugs, etc. After depositing the eggs, the female 

 departs, while the male remains to guard the nest. 



The young fish do not " attach themselves by a ventral disc 

 which soon disappears," as has been supposed, but at the time 



