412 



ANCIENT FILE-FISH. 



two immediately fall down v/ith it ; as a cross4)Ow 

 is let off by pulling down the trigger. For this 

 .reason the fish is called at Rome by the name of 

 Pesce Balestra» 



ANCIENT FILE-FISH,* 



Balistes Vetula. B. oHvaceo-Jiavescens, capite lineis cmruleis 



mriato, pinna vent rail soUtaria, cauda lunata. 

 Olivaceous-yellowish File-Fish, with head varied by blue 



streaks, single ventral fin, and forked tail. 

 Balistes Vetula. B, pinna dorsali anteriore triradiata, ventraU 



longitudinali, caudali bifida. Lin, Syst, Nat, 

 Guaperva maxime caudata. Will, ichth. app. 21. t, I. 23. 



Length from one to tw o feet or more : shape 

 subrhombic ovate : general colour yellowish olive, 

 paler beneath : from the eye to the upper parts of 

 the head and front run several blue streaks, one or 

 two are also drawn from beneath the eye towards 

 the pectoral fins ; and the cheeks are marked by 

 others which curve slightly downwards : a few short 

 obliquely transverse stripes pass along the sides of 

 the back, others across the extremity of the body, 

 and others near the base of the anal fin : the colour 

 of the fins is pale brown with numerous violaceous 

 transverse stripes : the first or small dorsal has 

 three rays, the first of which is extremely strong 

 and rough : beneath the abdomen is placed a single 

 ventral fin, with the first ray strong and hispid : 

 the second dorsal, as w^ell as the anal fin, is broad 

 and falcated : the tail is large, very strongly lunated, 

 and edged with blue : on each side the abdomen 



