STRANGE FISHES OF THE TROPICS 



411 



The Porcupine Fish, 1 also known as Puffer, 

 Ball-Fish, Swell-Fish and Toad-Fish, is another 

 sea-side "curio," although usually it is stuffed 

 not wisely, but too swell. A tow-filled balloon 

 of fish-skin, with spines upon it, is not necessarily 

 a Porcupine Fish; and the sea-side taxidermist 

 should sometimes put a curb upon his zeal for 

 expansion. 



' Chi-lo-myc' te-rus ge-o-met' 'ri-cus 



Like the bellows-fish, this species can expand 

 itself with air to about twice its normal size. Its 

 back is covered with strong, bony spines, which 

 in some species are an inch in length. It is a 

 fish of tropical waters, and in Cuba is considered 

 a food fish. The species figured is one of four 

 which in summer visit our Atlantic coast, while 

 two others are found on the coast of California. 



See illustration on page 374. 



