HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 417 



IrijJiiCj' JLCJCjrJlM jdL JL JtxJL* 



The maxillary bone soldered or jfixedly attached on the side of the intermaxillary, 

 which alone forms the jaw, and to which the palatine arch is dovetailed by a 

 suture within the cranium, and consequently has no power of motion. Opercula and 

 the rays concealed under a thick skin, which only permits a small branchial cleft 

 to be visible externally. 



FAMILY XXIV. GYMNODONTID^. 



Instead of apparent teeth, the jaws are furnished with an ivory substance, divided 

 internally into laminae, the general appearance of which somewhat resembles the bill 

 of a parrot, and which is essentially composed of true teeth united together^ and 

 succeeding one another in proportion as there are any worn out by trituration. Oper- 

 cula smaU; their rays five in number. 



GENUS I. TETEODON, Linn. 



Jaws divided in the middle by a suture, presenting the appearance of four teeth in 

 front, two above and two below. The skin over a portion of its whole extent covered 

 with prickles. 



Tetrodon toegidus, Mitchill. 



The Swell-fish. Puffer. 

 (Plate XXXIII. Fia. 5. 5. Jaws.) 



Tetraodon turgidus, Puffer^ Mitch , Trans Lit and Phil Soc. of N T , i p. 473, pi 6, fig 5. 

 " " Swell fishy Puffer, Storek, Eeport, p. 169. 



'' '* Commoft Pwjfer, Dekay, Eeport, p 327, pi 55,% 178 



" " " Ayeks, Bost Soc Nat Hist , iv p 285 



" " " Stoeer, Mem Amei Acad , New Series, ii. p 493. 



» " " " Synopsis, p 241. 



Color. Upper part of the body ash-colored, interspersed with light pea-green, with 

 large irregular patches of greenish-brown. Sides orange, with a shade of brown, 

 barred transversely by seven or eight blackish irregularly defined bands. Abdomen 

 yellowish-white. Head greenish-brown. Pupils green, irides orange* Fins color of 

 abdomen. 



Description. Body oblong, cylindrical, globular when inflated. The whole surface 



