278 CHARACTERS OF VERTEBRATE ANIMALS 



the skin is rough and there is a small spiny first dorsal fin, of 

 which the first spine is ridged like a file on its fi-ont surface. 

 The firm jaws, provided with strong teeth, are well adapted for 

 breaking open the shells of molluscs, or nipping off pieces of 

 coral. The Mediterranean File-Fish {Balistes capriscus) has 

 occasionally been taken in British seas. 



2. Coffer-Fishes are curious-looking creatures in which the 

 body is almost entirely protected by numerous six-sided plates 

 united by their edges. The Four-horned Coffer- Fish {Ostracion 

 guadricornis) has been taken off the coast of Cornwall. 



3. Globe-Fishes mostly have their bodies covered with strong 

 spines, and possess the power of dilating the gullet with air, 

 when the body swells out into a globe-like form and the spines 

 are erected, furnishing a formidable protection. In this condition 

 they are unable to swim, but are drifted along with the under 

 side turned upwards. In the genus Diodon there is a bony plate 

 in the front of each jaw, while in the allied genus Tetrodon each 

 of these plates is divided into two, giving the appearance of four 

 large front teeth. 



4. Sun-Fishes are remarkable for the shortness and depth 

 of the body, the caudal fin forming a border to the hinder end, 

 which does not taper as in an ordinary fish. Adjoining the 

 caudal fin is a long pointed dorsal above and a similar anal below. 



Sub-order 4. — Soft-finned Fishes (Anacanthini) 



In these fishes the rays which support the various fins are 

 all soft and jointed, and the pelvic fins are situated very far 

 forwards. There are some 370 species, of which many are of 

 great economic importance. Only two of the included families 

 need be mentioned here, i.e. : i. the Cod Family, and 2. that In 

 which the Flat- Fishes are included. 



I. Cod Family. — The Common Cod (Gadus morrhud) (fig. 

 i) is the most important representative of a genus distinguished 

 by the possession of three dorsal and two anal fins, while in 

 this and some of the other species of the genus there is a filament 

 or barbel attached to the lower jaw. The Cod abounds on 

 both sides of the northern part of the North Atlantic, the most 

 famous fishery being on the banks of Newfoundland. The 

 Haddock [Gadus csglefinus) is another important species with a 



