290 EDITORIAL. 



afternoon between 5 and 6 o'clock, and from the effects thereof the 

 youth Fernando Noruega died last night between 11 and 12, and the 

 boy Matias Noruega this afternoon between 2 and 3 o'clock. Petra Sales 

 is in a very serious condition. 



All survivors have been given the necessary aid and treatment by the 

 physician in charge of the quarantine station. 



(Signed.) Valentin Semilla, 



Municipal President. 

 December 11, 1911. 



The fish called tinga-tinga or hotete in the above communica- 

 tions is the black-spotted puffer, Spheroidcs sceleratus (Forster) 

 (Fig. 1). It belongs to the family Tetraodontidse. There are 

 14 species of this family found in the Philippines; all of them 



r«rs:.- 





Fig. 1. "Tinga-tinga" or "botete." 



are supposed to secrete a specific poisonous alkaloid which gives 

 rise to gastric trouble of a very serious nature when taken into 

 the stomach of man. 



These fishes are common all over the tropical Pacific; they 

 are usually found in shallow water, and under ordinary con- 

 ditions are sluggish in their movements. When one is captured, 

 it distends its stomach until it resembles a ball. Their color is 

 usually white below, with black dots, stripes, or bands on the 

 sides and back. In length they range from 2 to 20 centimeters. 



The fish called "loco" in the first letter belongs to the 

 family Diodontidse, or porcupine fish, called hotiting laot in 

 Tagalog. There are 3 species of this family found in Philippine 

 waters, all believed to be poisonous. 



In addition to the above, there are 7 species of Balistidas, or 

 trigger fishes, called papaco, and 10 species of Monacanthidse, 

 or file fishes, called pacol, which should be regarded with grave 

 suspicion. 



There is very little danger of an American or European 

 eating any of these fishes, as their appearance and smell are 

 offensive, and they are too small to be desirable for the table. 



