PLATE LXVI. 



OSTRACION ToBiNii: ccerulescens, subtus argentea : fasciis longi- 

 tudinalibus nigricantibus, spina utrinque supra- 

 ocular!, duabus utrinque dorsalibus, ventralibus- 

 que unica laterali. 



OSTRACION AuRiTUS : fuscus spina utrinque supra oculari, 

 duabus utrinque dorsalibus, duabus ventralibus 

 unica laterali. Shaw Nat. Mis, t, 838. Gen, 

 Zool, V. 5. p, 429. 



OSTRACION Striatus : coeruleo flavoque lineatus spina utrinque 

 supra-oculari, duabus utrinque dorsalibus, ventrali- 

 busque unica laterali. Shaw Gen. ZooL v. 5. 

 2. p. 430^ 



We have no hesitation in uniting the synonyms of the two 

 species of Ostracion auritus and striatus of Dr. Shaw under the 

 same appellation as an individual species. This ingenious naturalist 

 indeed appears in doubt upon the subject, but was entirely misled 

 in conceiving it likely that the differences between them could arise 

 from sexual distinction only. The first description which he gave of 

 this extraordinary species was under the name of Auritus, or eared- 

 trunk fish, a name suggested by the singular position of the elevated 

 spines over the eyes, which have been fancifully compared to a pair 

 of ears. This description first appeared in the Naturalist's Miscel- 

 lany, and was taken, together with the figure by which it is exem- 

 plified, from one of the spirit preparations in the British Museum, 

 where it had been deposited by Captain Cook upon his return from 



