404 FOSSIL FISH. 



considerably defaced, yet very evidently represents a torpedo. 

 This is easy to perceive from the general form of the body, and 

 especially from that of the tail, the fins of which exactly cor- 

 respond with those of this subgenus ; but it is remarkable for 

 its very large size^ infinitely superior to that of all known 

 existing species, and perhaps for its oval and elongated form, 

 if that appearance be not the result of its peculiar position. 

 Volta also regards it as the analogue of the torpedo of the 

 Mediterranean. 



Balistes. Balistes duhius^ De Blain. The general sub- 

 lozenge form of this impression, the forward mouth, two or 

 three very strong stings at the upper angle for the first dorsal 

 fin, and one equally sharp projection at the lower, and the 

 position of the second dorsal fin very far back and opposed to 

 the anal, are characters which have determined M. de Blain- 

 ville to refer this species to Balistes, and not to Osfracion; still 

 less to the Ostracion turritus of Bloch, which is a native of the 

 Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. 



An impression which M. Volta regards as analogous to Cy- 

 clopterus lumpus evidently appertains to the same species ; 

 but this species, as the epithet dubius indicates, has not been 

 determined by M. de Blainville, though he decidedly assigns 

 it to the genus Balistes, and to the habitat of the Mediter- 

 ranean. 



Tetraodon. Tetraodon Honckenii. This is an impression 

 of a bulky fish, swelled out vertically; the vertebral column 

 exists in its entire length, but there are scarcely any traces of 

 fins. It is about two inches and a half long, to one broad ; 

 the body is oval, the muzzle tolerably elongated, the lower jaw 

 is the longest, without any trace of teeth, and the body is 

 covered with small prickles. Many individuals have been 

 found ; one of which, by far the largest, was in the brown or 

 ash-coloured stone of Vestena Nuova. M. Volta at first re- 

 garded it as analogous to the Tetraodon ociUatus of the Medi- 

 terranean ; but, afterwards, without giving his reasons, he 



