LOPHID.E, OB FISHING FROGS. 203 



are actually found in this group ; and the monstrous 

 combinations which painters have represented under the 

 aspect of animals, can scarcely surpass the singularity 

 of many of these real fish. True it is, that they have 

 their representatives, like the Balistidcs, in other groups; 

 but a slight degree of attention, even to their external 

 characters, will prevent them from being confounded 

 with any other ; for, as M. Cuvier well observes, inde- 

 dependently of their semi-cartilaginous skeleton and 

 naked skin, destitute of any scales, the frog-fish have 

 each of the pectorals supported by two bones, analogous 

 to the radius and ulna of the frogs, although, in reality, 

 they belong to the carpus, and which, in this group, are 

 longer than in any other. The ventrals, again, are placed 

 much before the pectorals, and stand, as it were, upon 

 peduncles ; they are thus enabled to perform the office 

 of feet. The effect of this singular organisation is, that 

 these fishes can " creep almost like small quadrupeds ; 

 the pectorals, from their position, performing the office of 

 hind feet j" and their nature is so truly amphibious, that 

 they can ''live out of the water for two or three days;" 

 they are, in fact, so tenacious of life, that they have been 

 transported alive from the Tropics to Holland, ''where 

 they sold as high as twelve ducats apiece." M. Cuvier, 

 with his usual anatomic skill, has determined the cha- 

 racters of many distinct species, confounded under the 

 specific nameof Histrio, — a name not given, as somehave 

 supposed, from any fancied activity of these animals — 

 for they are remarkably heavy and slow — but from the 

 patched and party-coloured spots with which they are 

 variegated. • 



(181 .) We separate from the last group the LophidcEy 

 or fishing frogs, which, although few in number, and 

 evidently connected to the ChironectidcB , nevertheless 

 present us with so many peculiar characters, that we 

 look upon them as representations of a family, rather 

 than of a genus. These reptile-looking fishes have the 

 head enormously large, broad, and depressed ; the mouth 

 very wide, armed with pointed teeth, and furnished 



