122 SOME COASTWISE FISHES. 



lated to the jaw in sucli a manner as to permit of 

 their erection when necessary. In this manner the 

 different series are successively brought into play. 



It is impossible in the scope of a work of this 

 kind to enter into anything like a general descrip- 

 tion of the New Jersey coast fishes, since their his- 

 tory is largely the history of the fishes of the 

 entire Atlantic border. But reference to a few of 

 the more striking forms — such, more particularly, 

 as by their peculiar outlines are apt to attract at- 

 tention — may not be amiss in this place. One of 

 these is the toad-fish (Batrachus iau), a rather fierce 



TOAD-FISH. 



and repulsive-looking animal, having somewhat the 

 appearance of a toad, whence its name. The de- 

 termination with which it holds on to any object 

 that it may have seized has given to it the name 

 of ' sea bull-dog.' It inhabits largely the oyster- 

 beds, where the young make free use of the empty 

 shells for their domiciles. 



The fishing-frog {Lophius piscatorius), also so 

 called from its resemblance to a batrachian, but 



