368 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



Diodon fuliginosus Baird, 1. c. 



Chilomycterus fuliginosus Bean, Bull. U. S. F. Com., VII, 

 1887, p. 133, from Baird. 



Chilomycterus geometricus Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 827. 

 — Bean, 1. c. 



Family MO'LIDJE. 

 The Head Fishes. 



Body oblong or more or less short and deep, compressed, trun- 

 cate behind so that there is no caudal peduncle. Mouth very 

 small, terminal. Teeth completely united in each jaw, forming a 

 bony beak without median suture, as in the DiodontidcB. Gill- 

 openings small, in front of pectorals. An accessory opercular 

 gill. Belly not inflatable. No air-vessel. Skin rough, naked, 

 spinous or tessellated. Dorsal and anal similar, falcate in front, 

 and posterior parts more or less perfectly confluent with caudal 

 around tail. No spinous dorsal or ventrals. Pectorals present. 

 Pelvic bone undeveloped. 



Pelagic fishes reaching a very large size in most warm seas, 

 apparently composed of a huge head to which small fins are 

 attached. The young are variously shortened in form and armed 

 with spines. The flesh is not used as food as it is coarse and 

 tough. A single species frequently on our coast. 



Genus Mola Cuvier. 



/ The Ocean Sun Fishes. 



Mola mola (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 78. 

 Ocean Sun Fish. Sun Fish. Globe Fish. Head Fish. 



Head 3; depth 1%; D. 16; A. 16; snout 2V10 in head; eye 

 7; pectoral 5 ; interorbital space 2j/^ ; height of dorsal 3; height 

 of anal 2^/7. Body ovate, strongly compressed, short, deep and 

 lower profile more convex. Snout long, with a projecting fleshy 



