288 



THE TRIGGER-FISH. 



In the genus Ostracion, of wliicli the Hokned Trunk-fish, or Coffee-fish, is a good 

 example, the body is either three or four-sided, and covered with a solid coat of mail formed 

 of six-sided plates or scales, and pierced with holes, through which protrude the mouth, the 

 tail, and the iins. The whole of the interior structure is modified in accordance with tliis 

 external and intiexible cuirass ; and on comparing the general form of this ci'eature with that 

 of certain reptiles, the analogy between the Coffer-fish and the tortoise is too close to escape 

 observation. None of these fishes are in request as articles of food, their flesh being small in 

 quantity, and in some species even thought to have a poisonous effect ; but the liver is very 



large, and yields a tolerable 



supply of oil. All the Cott'er- 

 • ''t^z^^ '^=^=^-^^^- fishes are natives of the tropical 



seas, and but few species are 



known. 



We come now to a very 

 odd-looking fish, called per- 

 force, for want of a popular 

 title, the Oeeosoma, a name 

 framed from two Greek words, 

 and literally signifjdng hilly- 

 bodied. 



This remarkable little fish 

 was captured in the Atlantic 

 by Peron, and has ever been 

 esteemed as one of the curiosi- 

 ties of the animal kingdom. 

 Upon the l^ody there are no 

 true scales ; but their place is 

 supplied by a number of bony 

 or horny protuberances, of a 

 conical shape, and serving no 

 ascertained purpose. These 

 cones may be divided into two 

 distinct sets, the larger set being 

 arranged in two ranks, four on 

 the back and ten on the abdo- 

 men, and among them are placed 

 the smaller set. The body of 

 this fish is very deep, in pro- 

 portion to its length ; and the operculum has two ridges, terminating in flattened angles. 

 There are two dorsal fins, the first armed with five spines. 



The Trunk-fishes are conmion objects in the tropical waters of Florida. The Cow-fish is a 

 familiar one. Trigger-fishes, allied forms, are also abundant. 



HORNED TRUNK-PISH.— fe<™cwrt conmtus. (Onf-quaricr natural size.; 



The very curious Teiggee-fish is an example of the moderately large genus Ba/istes, 

 inhabiting the wanner seas of many parts of the world, and which, on account of their rough 

 and fierce exterior, are sometimes called File-fishes, or Leathee-jackets. 



The name of Trigger-fish is dei'ived from the peculiar structure of the dorsal fin. When 

 the fin is erected, the first ray, which is very thick and sti-ong, holds its elevated position so 

 finnly, that it cannot be ])ressed down by any degree of force ; but if the second ray be 

 dei)ressed, the first immediately falls down like tlie hammer of a gun-lock when the trigger is 

 pulled. The mechanical structure of these curious rays is extremely interesting, but the 

 description would occupy too much space to be inserted in this work. 



A strong feeling against the flesh of this fish exists among sea-faring men, but, like many 



