456 REPORT OF THE 



October are the periods when this fish is seen ; the specimens taken are from 2^ to 

 5 inches long. It is sometimes called Swell Toad, Puffer and Porcupine in that 

 locality. At Somers Point, N. J., it is known as the Cucumber Fish. 



192. Burfish {Chiloniycteriis fiiligiiiosiis DeKay). 



The Burfish was described by DeKay as the Unspotted Balloon Fish. DeKay 

 had an example 2 inches long, taken in the harbor of New York late in October ; by 

 some writers this has been considered the young of the Common Spiny Boxfish, but 

 specimens taken at Block Island and in Great South Bay have established the 

 validity of DeKay's species ; the colors are given as follows : " Above dark olive 

 green, tinged with brown, with meandering dusky lines ; chin yellowish white, 

 abdomen black, but the bases of the spines are bright orange which so far pre- 

 dominates as to give this color to the whole under side." 



Family MOLID^. Head Fishes. 



193. Sunfish ; Headfish {Mola viola Linnaeus). 



The Sunfish, or Headfish, is a pelagic species inhabiting most temperate and 

 tropical seas ; it extends north to England, Cape Cod and San Francisco ; it is rare 

 in the West Indies. The largest example known was taken at Redondo Beach, 

 Cal., in June, 1893; this was 8 feet 2 inches long, and weighed 1,800 pounds. 



This is the short Headfish of DeKay, New York Fauna, page 331, plate 59, figure 

 193. DeKay had a mounted specimen of the fish, but adopted the description and 

 figure of Storer. He states that the fish is not unfrequently captured along the 

 coast. The specimen mentioned by Mitchill was captured in the lower bay within 

 Sandy Hook ; it weighed 200 pounds. 



At Woods Hole, Mass., the fish is known as Sunfish. Dr. Smith says it is much 

 rarer now than formerly. In the early years of the Fish Commission 8 or 10 

 specimens were observed annually in Vineyard Sound, but of late it is unusual to 

 see more than one in a season. In 1896, a 400-pound fish was seen off Tarpaulin 

 Cove. In 1887, a 200-pound specimen, caught off Great Harbor, was kept alive at 

 the station for about a week. The fish is usually found in August. Mr. Edwards 

 examined a number of them and observed only Ctenophores and Medusae in their 

 stomachs. 



The fish swims slowly near the surface with the high dorsal fin out of water, 

 and is usually approached with little difificulty. 



