14 
AMPHIBIA NANTES. BALISTES. 
The colour of the body darkish; the second dorsal, anal, and caudal fins, bluish; the membranes feel to the 
touch like thin leather. 
Inches, Lines. 
The length, from the rostrum to the end of the caudal fin - - - 8 o 
greatest breadth - -- -- -- - - - - 3 8 
from the eye to the point of the rostrum - - - - 2 8 
No. XXL 
Balistes spinis birds verrucosis loco pinnarUm ventralium; pinna prima dorsi macula atrci, 
radiis spinosis 4-5, quorum anterior prelongus, verrucosus, serratus, sub-rectus, acutus, sub- 
retrojlexus ; pinna caudali prof unde bifida. 
The Balistes with two rugged spines in place of ventral fins; the anterior dorsal fin 
marked with a large black spot, and consists of four, or five, spinous rays, the first of 
which is very long, rugged, serrated, nearly straight, sharp, bending a little backwards; 
the tail deeply forked. 
Called by the Natives Bowree, or Abatoo. 
JL _L 
D. 5. 25. P. 14. V. 2. A. 20. C. 16. 
The body compressed, thin, very broad, between the first dorsal fin and ventral spines, narrowing gradually 
to the end of the second dorsal fin, where it tapers rapidly, and from flat becomes round. There are no scales 
but the skin is harsh and rough like shagreen. 
The head nearly as broad as the body, much compressed; but, narrowing equally above and below from the 
vertex and the ventral spines, it forms a triangle ending obtusely in the short round rostrum, at the end of 
which the very small mouth is placed. The lips thickish; the jaws very short, equal, not extractile. The teeth 
close, a little bent and truncate, the two middle in each jaw the longest, and behind them are two tubercular 
teeth. The tongue cartilaginous, oblong, rounded, immoveable. 
The eyes near the vertex, oval, in a deep socket, the iris golden and pearl colour; the nostrils double, a 
little before the eyes, small, oval, open, the posterior largest. 
The linear branchial aperture is directly before the pectoral fin. 
The trunk: the back rising in an arch from the vertex, is carinate, and crowned by the first dorsal fin; from 
the beginning of the second dorsal, it declines towards the tail. The belly is flattish, and armed with a strong- 
bone, to which the ventral spines are connected. This is moveable with the spines, covered with the skin, and 
extends backward nearly to the anus. The lateral line is high, at first arched like the back, but afterwards 
straight, running along the middle of the tail. 
The fins. The first dorsal is placed on the highest part of the back, consisting of one very strong spine, two 
inches and a half in length, straight, w r arty, serrated on both sides, and sharp-pointed; and of three (sometimes 
four) short spinous rays. The lower part of the front spine, and all the others with the connecting membrane, 
are black. The second dorsal is nearly one inch behind, on the declivity of the back, and terminates two inches 
from the tail; the pectoral in a line with the mouth, short, and rounded. 
The two spines in the place of ventral fins are an inch shorter than that of the dorsal, but like it rough, and 
serrated; the anal rays gradually shortening, terminate on a line with the second dorsal; the caudal is 
deeply forked. 
