CLASS V. PISCES: ORDEE 3. TELEOSTEA. 
433 
known alone: the 
pennant's globe-fisu. 
The fishes of the genera Diodon and Tetraodon, popularly called Sea- Porcupines, have a large 
air-bladder, which they inflate by swallowing air, till they appear almost like balls. They 
are also covered with spines which they erect at will. Several species of Diodon, called Bal- 
loon-Fish, are common in our waters. They are of very small size. Those of the genus Tetra- 
odon are called Puffers : several species are met with in the American seas. The Common 
Puffer, T. turgidus, which has the various designations of Blower, Toad-Fish, and Swell-F'ish, 
is six to twelve inches long; is abundant on our shores, and is frequently taken by anglers 
seeking for tautog. When taken out of the water it will puff itself up like a distended bladder ; 
the boys, in a spirit of cruel sport, sometimes throw a large stone upon it in this state, when it 
bursts with a loud explosion. Several 
other species are 
American coast. 
Pennant's Globe-Fish, T. Pennantii, 
is found in Europe ; it occasionally hap- 
pens that this, as well as other species, 
when they have puffed themselves up, 
lose their balance in the water, and 
float about, belly upward, in a most help- 
less condition. The sharp spines on 
their stomachs, however, protect them 
from their enemies. Pennant's Globe- 
fish is about eighteen inches long; a 
smaller kind, found in the Nile, T. line- 
aius, is said to have electrical properties, and occasionally being driven on shore, it dies and 
becomes dried, and is used for balls by the children A very small species of globe-fish is found 
on our coast. 
The largest species of this family is that of the Sun-Fisii or Short Sun-Fish, Orthagoriscus 
mola, which is almost of a circular form, 
with long dorsal and anal fins, projecting 
like handles from its hinder parts. It at- 
tains a great size, sometimes as much as 
four or five hundred pounds' weight, and 
measures four or five feet in length. It 
has a silvery appearance, and at night is 
highly phosphorescent, whence it is called 
Sun-Fish, and in some places Moon-Fish. 
Its flesh is not good, but it yields consider- 
able oil. It is found on the coasts of Eu- 
rope and America. It is here often called 
Head-Fish. 
THE LOPHOBEAI^CHIA. 
To this division, so called on account of 
the tufted gills of the species, belongs a single 
family, of very curious formation, bearing- 
the name of Sea-Horsc, one species of which- 
is found in Europe — the Short-nosed Sea- 
HoRSE, Hippocampus hrevirostris. These^ 
animals have a head of the shape of a horse,, 
and a long tail without any fin, but which 
is used by the fish to lay hold of sea-weed 
and other objects. They are common in the tropics, and are often brought Lome by sailors. 
Vol. II. — 55. 
THE SHORT SUN-FISH. 
