NAKED-TOOTHED FISHES. 
285 
points of structure and economy^ and therefore 
! not without interest to the naturalist, are of 
little value ; their flesh being in general rank 
and glutinous, and unfit for human food. Most 
of the species are natives of the tropical seas ; 
j though an individual occasionally strays into 
! colder climates. We shall consider them as 
forming two Families, Tetraodontidce and Balls- 
tidce. 
Family I. Tetraodontid^. 
{Naked-toothed Fishes,) 
Instead of teeth arranged in some sort of ser- 
ried order, the Ashes before us have them united 
into masses, presenting externally no trace of 
individuality, but internally showing a number 
of parallel thin plates. The form of these masses 
of teeth resembles that of a parrot’s beak, and 
they are covered with a common coat of ivory-like 
substance. They are continually renewed by 
the growth of the component plates, as the sur- 
faces are worn down by grinding the sea-weeds 
and crustaceous animals that constitute the com- 
mon food of the Family. 
Most of the species have the skin covered with 
prickles, differing in number and strength, and 
capable of being erected. They are, in general, 
endowed with the power of inflating the body 
with air to a remarkable degree. One genus, 
that of the Sun-fishes {Orthagoriscus)^ is desti- 
tute of both these characters ; but it is marked 
by an equally curious peculiarity of form : the 
tail being so short, and the posterior termination 
