D I O D O N . 125 



teen inches, and from one ridge or angle, to the 

 other, three inches, — giving the highest arch 

 of the back a circumference of nine inches. 

 They are in their own element, what the armadil- 

 lo, of South America, is on land. 



GEN. DIODON. 



Swell-Fish, Balloon-Fish, Blower, Puff- 

 er, — Tetraodon Turgidus. It is not common 

 to meet with the swell-fish at any other season, 

 than the heat of summer. Whenever caught 

 with the hook, it is in fishing for cod and haddock ; 

 hence it is inferred that they feed upon similar 

 food, and swim at about the same depth. 



The back has a tawny saffron color, the skin 

 rough, — giving the sensation to the finger of sand 

 paper. The only apology we can make for not 

 having dissected one of them, with reference to 

 explaining their internal organization, is the poor 

 one, that there has not been time since the com- 

 mencement of this essay. Relying, however, 

 upon the assertions of comparative anatomists, the 

 following seems to be the peculiarity of its struc- 

 ture. 



A valve is so constructed in the fauces, over 

 the orifice of a tube, communicating with an ex- 

 tensive series of air-cells, opening downwards, 

 that by drawing the atmospheric air in at the 



