8 



Body oblong ; skin thick, flabby, slimy, provided with 

 small prominent prickles, particularly on the lower surface; 

 belly capable of being inflated like a balloon. Head 

 short, broad, flat ; lower mandible projecting ; both jaws 

 sharp, cutting, each divided into the appearance of two 

 teeth. Nostrils before and in front of the eyes, tubulous. 

 Gill covers and three gills concealed under the skin, 

 which has a small branchial cleft on each side. No 

 ventral fin ; vent far behind, pectorals, and anal fin 

 rounded. 



Ribs almost obsolete, intestines twice bent and 

 without ccecal appendages, liver one-lobed, obtuse above, 

 and pointed at base • milt and gall-bladder small, the 

 latter of the size of a large pea. Kidneys large, placed 

 very high, resembling lungs. Swim-bladder 2-lobed. 

 Head, back and flanks brownish-green, marbled with 

 greenish-white irregular blots. A broad, longitudinal, 

 brimstone-coloured band, proceeds on each side of the 

 body, from under the lower jaw, towards the tail. The 

 lateral line commences under the eyes, ascends upwards, 

 and ends near the caudal fin. All fins olive-green with 

 a yellow tint. Belly white. Eyes small, partly covered 

 by the skin ; pupils light bottle-green ; iris blood-red. 

 Length 6" — 7 inches. Pect. 14. Dors. 9. Caud. 9. 

 Anal 7. 



This fish fJBlaasopvisck ; Balloonfish ; ToadJlshJ is 

 never found in Table Bay, but is very common in the 

 bays to the east of it. It is very voracious and therefore 

 easily caught. As soon as it is taken out of the water, 

 it becomes inflated to a considerable extent, utters a 

 particular sound resembling a grunt, and by its sparkling 

 eyes, which then look truly terrific, betrays extreme 

 ferocity. 



In consequence of its covered gills and muculent coat, 

 it lives for a considerable time out of its element. It 

 has a nauseous odour and feeds on mollusca and crusta- 

 ceans. 



