408 The Four-horned Trunk Fish. 



which Willoughby appears to be as much at a loss as Jonston ; 

 for although he gives a good figure of it in his Plate I. 14, 

 under the name of Piscis triangularis comutus Elusii, he sums 

 up all he knows of its history in saying, that there was an 

 example in the Museum of the Royal Society. Linneeus appears 

 to notice the same fish under the name of Ostracion quadricornis ; 

 but even in his day he supposes the whole genus to be confined 

 to the seas of India. And that any of them should be found 

 in Europe was not expected, until the researches of Risso led 

 naturalists to understand that a few examples which belonged 

 to two species had come within his notice in the neighbour- 

 hood of Nice. These are, Ostracion cubicus, Lin., and 0. tri- 

 gonus, Lin. ; and this writer assures us of the certainty of 

 what he relates concerning them, although he appears to-have 

 been prepared for the incredulity with which his statement 

 would be received by many naturalists. A third species seems 

 to be hinted at by Dr. Gulia in his Tentamen Ichthyologies 

 Melitensis (p. 40 of the Discorso sulla fttiologia) ; but as no 

 description is given, and it had not come under his own inspec- 

 tion, we are not at liberty to refer it to the species presently to 

 be described. But the question is of no small interest con- 

 cerning the authority on which we claim for our own the 

 example, of which we give a figure taken from the specimen ; 

 and to this the reply is short and precise. The first intimation 

 of the alleged fact of the capturo on our coast of an example of 

 the four-horned trunk fish, was received from Robert Lakes, 

 Esq., of St. Austle — himself a well-known naturalist, although 

 chiefly in the department of ornithology — and as regards vera- 

 city he is beyond a doubt. So curious a fact as the taking this 

 fish on the coast of Cornwall, could not fail to lead to further 

 inquiry ; in reply to which, the fish itself was sent, with the 

 information that it had been obtained from a fisherman of Me- 

 vagissey, on the south coast of Cornwall, and that this man 

 affirmed he had taken it in a net at some rather considerable 

 distance from land; and, it was added, that this fisherman was 

 Considered to be of sufficient credit to warrant the belief that 

 tlif informal don lie gave might be roliodon. It appears certain 

 that this individual could not have been influenced by any 

 motive- of gain in fche information he gave about fchis fish, for 

 the remuneration given him was Blight, if, indeed, he received 

 any reward whatever. Ct was elicited also, on further inquiry, 

 that : i lish exactly limilar lind been taken about two years 

 before thii by a mas of the same place. 



The character of this genus OX fishes is, that the head and 

 body aro covered with regularlj-foxmed bony plates, which are 

 united together in such t manner a,s to form a crust or unbend- 

 ing shell like a coat of armour, from which structure they 



