555 



spine caused the h. jet a foot or m..re tVom the o]>eiiiii,-' of 



the fishes were (Hsphiyed in the markets. Sehim'.h i'7oi and 



the dorsal and opercular spines. There are mimerous referem ( s 

 to the poisonous nature of the weever fishes, Imt the two author^ 

 mentioned are the only ones, so far as I know, who have des( rihed 

 the structure of the glands. 



Wallace ('93) in the toa.lfish, Opsanus iHaimrhus^ inn. .Hs- 

 covered glands in connection with pores in the axilla, on the ilorsal 

 portion of the operculum and on the siu-face of the pectoral fin. 

 This author does not consider them as poison u'lands althonnli 

 the spines of this species o'ive a "slio-|,tiy painful stin.i:- and the 

 -lands apparentlv are of the same type as th<.se <.f the weever 

 fishes dcscrihed l.y Sclnnidt and Tarker. and tlu.s,. of the mad 

 toms to I.e described presently. 



With the ahove facts and views in mind and a d, mh' to know 

 more of the action and structure ..f the supposed p.-ison -land^. 

 all the known species' <.f Xoturus an.l .-chiilu'o.Ies. except N. 

 junrhris, have heeii examined. The stin- will he .ies. ril.e.I first, 

 and then the structure of the ulan.ls. 



The Sting.— The sthii; of the ma.l toms has l.een descrihe.l as 



