403 



CHINESE FILE-FISH. 



Balistes Chinensis. B. cinereus macuUs parvis aurantiis, radio 



capitis utiico, pinna ventrali mica. 

 Cinereous File-Fish, with small orange spots, ray over the 



head single, and single ventral fin. 

 Balistes .Sinensis. B. radio in capite mico, pinna ventrali mica. 



Block, t. 152. 



Length a few inches : colour pale grey, with a 

 cast of yellow-brown on the upper parts : sides 

 marked with minute red spots : above the head a 

 very strong serrated spine : ventral fin single, with 

 the first ray strong and serrated : dorsal and anal 

 fins rather shallow, and placed opposite : tail 

 rounded : lateral line commencing behind the eyes, 

 and curving downwards as it approaches the end of 

 the body, which is beset, on each side the tail, 

 with two rows of spines curving forwards, to the 

 number of four in each row : skin rough with 

 minute points, growing rather longer towards the 

 tail. Native of the Indian seas about the Chinese 

 coasts, and in the South- American seas about those 

 of Brasil. 



