NOTES ON FISHES COLLECTED IN FLORIDA IN 1892. 
221 
OSTRACIIDiE. 
122 . Ostracion trigoiiuin Liun. Shellfish. Not uucommou ou shores of keys in grassy situations. 
It is said to he an excellent food-tish when roasted or haked “in the shell.” It is dried and 
preserved as a curiosity. The coloration of ail the cowfishes is very iiretty. Si)ecimens from 
Key West. 
123 . Ostracion tricorne Linn. Cowfish. Common in grassy ijights of tlie keys, and in the coves of 
all bays on the mainland. The cowfishes grow to about 10 inches in length. Tliey are very 
sensitive to cold; after the unusually cold snap in Florida, in .lanuary, 1886, I saw hundreds 
of dead and dried cowlish washed uj) on the beaches. Examples from Taui 2 ia. 
BALISTIDiE. 
124 . Balistes vetula Linn. Ocean Turbot. Not common. Found occasionally along the reefs and 
southern keys. It is the handsomest of the “trigger-fi.shes.” Grows to a larger size, also, 
some 2 feet in length. I know nothing of its food qualities. Several siiecimens from Key 
AVest. 
125 . Balistes carolinensis Gmelin. Turbot. Common at Key West and vicinity. It is considered 
a good food-fish and sells readily in the market. It is always skinned, or rather ‘‘'pared,” 
before cooking. It averages about 12 inches in length. It is called “turbot” by all Key 
Westpeo 2 )le. Exauqjles from Key West. 
126 . Monacanthus ciliatu,? (Mi tehill). Leather-fish. Common at Key West and vicinity. Not used 
for food. The male has stiff bristles or siiines in the tail. Less than a foot in length. Si>eci- 
mens obtained at Key West. 
127 . Monacantlius liispidus (Linn.). Also common at Key West and vicinity. Grows to 8 or 10 
inches in length. Not used for food. Examples from Key West. 
128 . Alutera schoepfi (AValbaum). Long-tail Leather-fish. Not uncommon along the keys and at 
rocky situations on the coast. Grows to 18 inches in length. Not used as food. Examples 
obtained at Key AVest and Tamjia. 
TETRODONTIDiU. 
129 . Spheroides spengleri (Bloch). Swellfish. Common along the keys and both coasts. Grows 
to a foot or more in length. Of no inqiortance, except as a curio. Exam 2 >les from Tamiia. 
DIODONTIDIR. 
130 . Diodon hystrix Linn. Porcupine- fish. Not couunon. Occasionally taken along the southern 
keys and reefs, and always dried and jireserved as a curiosity. I obtained a dried specimen 
at Key AA^est. 
131 . Chilomycteru.s schoepfi (AValbaum). Swell-toad. Common on both coasts of Florida. Grows 
to 8 or 10 inches in length. Not used as food. Inflated, dried, and sold as a curio. Examples 
from Tamija. 
