the Fishes of Massachusetts. 



355 



a species of Ostracion belonging to the gentleman who 

 prepared the catalogue, the examiiiation of which I have 

 thus commenced. 

 This specimen was taken on a coral reef at the Island of 

 , Trinidad by Captain Joseph P, Couthouy. It has been 

 mistaken for the bicaudalis^ but is a perfectly distinct 

 species. 



No description of tlie bicauddlis I have had access to, 

 refers to an isolated plate, between the dorsal fin and tall, 

 which is a principal character of this fish. 



In the figures of the bicauddlis, the plates enclose 

 regularly distributed tubercles ; and are not divided into 

 distinct sections, by slightly raised striae, as in this species. 



In many of their characters, this* fish and the Yalei 

 correspond. 



It is considerably larger, of a yellowish-brown color, 

 and its surface presents a great number of circular black 

 spots. But in the number of the rays of the dorsal, pec- 

 toral and anal fins, they are similar; the contracted state 

 of the caudal fin prevents us from ascertaining the number 

 of its rays. They both have two subcaudal spines. In 

 this, however, they are much shorter and less curved. 

 Immediately back of the pectoral fins in this fish, are 

 several deep black undulating lines : the plates in front 

 of the pectoral fins are immaculate; all the other plates 

 contain several circular black spots, varying in number 

 from three to six, eight, and even ten. In both these 

 fishes, the plates are similarly divided, but the diverging 

 rays are much less prominent in this fish. In both, the 

 peculiar plate, back of the dorsal fin, exists. This plate, 

 in the Fa/e^, is composed of three portions. In t^is fish, 

 it is made up of two equal portions. In the former, this 

 plate is separated by a very narrow canal of ligament 

 only, from the general horny cuticle ; in the latter, it is 



