962 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



Of course there are all degrees of fishy ugli- 

 ness, and the fascination for the beholder which 

 some un-beautiful fishes possess, comes often 

 from some un-fish-like quality rather than from 

 pure ugliness. Take as an example the big 

 green moray. It is hardly a beautiful fish, at 

 least to the eyes of the layman, but people will 

 crowd around the moray tank to enjoy the sen- 

 sation of a good spine-thrilling shudder, and not 

 because the moray is ugly, but because, for- 

 sooth, he looks somewhat like a snake ! Or, 

 take the seahorse. While I would not for a 

 moment suggest that the seahorse, adopted as 

 the ensign of the Aquarium, is ugly, still he 

 possesses as little beauty, as that term is under- 

 stood among fishes, as one could desire. He 

 is a most interesting and attractive little crea- 

 ture — because of features that are not fish-like. 

 The only things about him that seem to show 

 a relation to ordinary fishes are his fins, and 

 they usually vibrate so rapidly that they can- 

 not be seen. The visitors at the Aquarium will 

 stand three or four deep around the seahorse 

 tanks and admire him for what he appears not 

 to be. 



To introduce at once the highest degree of 

 ugliness might prove too much of a shock to 

 the mind of the reader, who, presumably, is ac- 

 customed only to the consideration of beauty. 

 Therefore, we will begin with the puffer or 

 swellfish. The accompanying cut will bear out 

 the statement that, as far as form is concerned, 

 he is no beauty, and only a casual glance at 

 the movements of a specimen in the tank will 

 reveal the fact that he is anything but grace- 

 ful. His colors are well enough except that he 

 has green eyes which might indicate a consum- 



COMMON TOADFISH 



He is as impudent as lie is worthless. 



TOAD-FISH (Ventral view-) 

 He looks like a wide-mouthed tadpole. 



ing jealousy. His disposition is ugly too, and 

 his sharp teeth, like a pair of nippers, are well 

 fitted for biting off the tails and fins of his 

 neighbors or for taking a piece out of the un- 

 wary finger. Yet the puffer is not without his 

 interesting points. His habit of inflating him- 

 self into a ball by means of either air or water, 

 which is retained by a valve in the throat is one 

 of the curiosities of nature. Mitchill mentions 

 that "it is a piece of sport common enough 

 among fishermen to burst 

 them between two stones, 

 when the air is let loose 

 with a noise almost equal to 

 the report of a pistol." 

 While this may be entertain- 

 ing to the fishermen, it is 

 rather hard on the fish, and 

 it is not to be encouraged. 

 The puffer is ugly and in- 

 teresting in about equal pro- 

 portions. 



The toadfish, flat-headed 

 and big-bellied and looking 

 more like a wide-mouthed 



