428 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
distinct rings of white around base of pectoral including opercular opening; about 5 white longitudinal 
bands on side of belly below head and pectoral fin, alternating with a like number of olive bands; 
base of pectoral and region below black, and some black blotches anterior to the lower of these; dorsal 
dusky yellow; pectoral bright yellow; anal orange yellow; caudal dusky, the membranes yellowish 
with bluish-white spots. 
Color in spirits, head, top of body, caudal peduncle on top and sides, and most of the side, dull 
olivaceous, covered quite uniformly with small round bluish-white spots, these sometimes oblong, the 
largest much smaller than pupil, those on side somewhat larger; base of pectoral black, surrounded 
by a narrow bluish-white line forming a nearly complete circle, interrupted only below the (in; a 
white bar across base of pectoral between which and the white ring are 2 shorter ones; a broad curved 
black band behind the white circle, continuing forward under the fin, some of the spines on its 
anterior surface white; 2 or 3 broad but short, horizontal black bars on breast under cheek and the 
same number on belly just back of pectoral, these sometimes continuous; belly chiefly white; posterior 
part of side mottled black, brown and paler; base of caudal fin with a few blue-white spots; spines 
usually pale or whitish. The colors in alcohol are as variable as they are in life. The yellowish or 
blackish lines on the belly become blackish or dark brown. In some examples the dark lines continue 
over entire belly, in others they are limited to the sides, the middle portion being plain white. 
These differences are noticeable even in the very young, many of which we have ranging in total 
length from six-tenths of an inch to 2.75 inches. Some very small examples (5) from Cocoanut Island 
at Hilo are uniform rich brownish black above, and all but the smallest have each about 18 distinct 
horizontal lines of same color on belly from chin to anal fin, the lateral ones ceasing sooner. The 
spaces between these lines are dull or dusky white and equally narrow. The smallest example (six- 
tenths of an inch in total length ) is uniform dark brownish black on belly as well as on back and sides; 
fins all pale, caudal somewhat dusky. Other equally small examples from Hilo have the belly striped 
with brownish black and the pale interspaces broken up into spots anteriorly. Somewhat larger 
examples (1 inch to 1.75 inches long) from a pond at the Moana Hotel at Waikiki are usually striped 
underneath, the interspaces white, and the back and sides olivaceous. Some, however, are rich brown, 
agreeing perfectly with those from Hilo. In some cases the body is strongly papillose below and on 
sides, presenting the appearance of plush. In one example 1.6 inches long, from Hilo, the stripes on 
the belly are much broader and consequently fewer in number, there being only 12 of the dark stripes. 
Although there is much variation among our numerous specimens both in color and in the devel¬ 
opment of the prickles, they all evidently belong to the same species. This is an abundant fish in all 
suitable places about Honolulu, it frequenting the mullet ponds and more or less inclosed brackish 
water areas, and even the fresh-water ponds near the coast. Nearly all our numerous specimens were 
obtained from one of the smaller ponds at Moanalua, Mr. S. M. Damon’s country place. At a single 
haul with a 25-foot seine more than 2 bushels of these fishes were taken. As they were being hauled 
out upon the bank many of them became greatly inflated, in which condition they usually remained 
indefinitely or until returned to the water, where they would float, about for some moments helplessly 
on their backs, their distended bellies above the water. Finally they would collapse, right themselves 
and swim away. Those placed in formalin or alcohol often remained inflated for some time, some 
permanently. 
This puffer reaches a large size, our biggest examples having a total length of more than a foot. 
The 100 specimens in the collection from Honolulu are 1.8 to 14 inches long. In addition we have 9 
small examples (1 to 1.75 inches long) from a pond at the Moana Hotel at Waikiki, and 11 examples 
(0.6 to 2.75 inches long), from Cocoanut Island at Hilo. The fish is thought to be poisonous, a belief 
expressed in one of its native names, M ild Maki, meaning deadly death. The species is of wide dis¬ 
tribution, having been recorded from various places in the Red Sea, the East. Indies, Japan, and Aus¬ 
tralia, as well as from Panama and the islands off the Pacific coast of Mexico. It has been recorded 
from the Hawaiian Islands only by Streets, Jenkins, and Quoy and Gaimard previous to our 
explorations. 
Tctraodon Impidus Linnaeus, Syst. Not.. 10th ed., I, 333, 1758, India; Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1902 (Sept. 237 
1903), 484 (Honolulu); Snyder, op. cit. (Jan. 19, 1904), 534 (Honolulu; Necker Island). 
Tctraodon pcrspicillaris Riippell. Atlas, Reise Nord Africa) 03, 1828, Red Sea. 
Tctrodon implutus Jenyns, Voy. Beagle, Fish., 152, 1842, Keeling Island; Streets, Bull. U. S. Xal. Mils., No. 7, 56, 1877 
(Honolulu). 
Tctraodon laterna Richardson, Voy, Sulphur, ZqoL, 124, pi. 61, tig. 2 . 1843. 
