2 B 4 
The Hiftory of ANIMALS. 
O S T R A C I O N. 
T H E body of the Oftracion is of an odd figure; it is either globofe, fpheric, 
or roundifh, or elfe it is oval, or ovato-oblong; or, finally, ovato-quadrangular^ 
or approaching to conic : the fkin is always very firm and hard 5 in fome of the fpecies 
it is fmooth, but in moft it is covered either entirely with fpines, or it has them in 
particular places j there are no belly fins: the number of fins in the whole is five • 
there are two pedtoral or lateral ones, one on the back, the pinna ani, and the tail • 
the mouth is fmall; the teeth, however, are large: the eyes are covered with the 
common cuticle : the apertures of the noftrils are two on each fide, and ftand a little 
way before the eyes; the lips are moveable, and in part cover the teeth ° there is no 
branchioftege membrane. 
The fpecies of this genus are numerous, and may conveniently be arranged under 
feveral divifions. 
OSTRACIONES. 
Divifion the Fir ft. 
Fhofe which have numerous teeth, and are of an oblong and fquare form. 
« t 
Oftracion oblongo-quadrangulus tuberculis quatuor majo- 
ribus in dorfo . 
!*Ihe oblongo-quadrangular Ofiracion, with four large tu~ fQUiltC JfljJ)* 
bercles on the bach 
T his is a very Angularly-fhaped fifh : the head is fmall, and the roftrum ob- 
tufe 5 the eyes are large, and are covered with a thin fkin; their iris is of a 
greyifh-white, and the pupil round, and of a greenifh-black : the noftrils have each a 
double aperture, very confpicuous, and fituated at a fmall diftance before the eyes: the 
mouth is fmall, and has a pair of moveable lips, which in part cover the teeth ; the 
teeth themfelves are large, and feem quite difproportioned to the fize of the mouth in 
which they ftand : the body is of a ftrange figure, approaching to fquare; the back is 
broad and flat; the belly alfo is broad and flat, and the fides are very little prominent, 
fo that the whole figure is tolerably regularly quadrangular: on the anterior part of the 
back, or but a little way behind the head, there ftand four very remarkable protube¬ 
rances : the pedloral fins are fmall and obtufe at the ends ; the pinna ani is oblong * 
the back fin is fhort, and the tail is large. 
This is caught in the Eaftern Seas, and in the mouths of the larger rivers in that part 
of the world : moft of the Ichthyological writers have defcribed it. Ray calls it Pifcis 
maximus quadrangularis five dorfo piano; Willughby, Pifcis quadrangularis tuberculis 
quatuor in dorfo non longe a capite infignitus; Aldrovand, Jonfton, and Willughby 
call it Oftracion prior; Gefner, Ofiracion Nili; and Willughby, in another place, Of- 
tracion Nili quem Bellonius Holofteum appellat; Aldrovand and Jonfton alfo, in other 
places, call it Holofteum Bellonii five Oftracion Gefneri; and Charleton ufes the fame 
name. It greatly refembles the fpecies defcribed, under the name of Orbis fcutatus, 
by the fame authors. 
Ofiracion oblongo-quadrangulus gibbofus. 
l*he oblottgo-quadrangular and gibbofe Oftracion . iDfe&Cf'OIL 
This is a very fingular, but alfo a very beautiful, fifh: the head is fmall; the eyes 
are large, and are covered with a common membrane j the apertures of the noftrils are 
two on each fide, and are placed at a fmall diftance below them : the mouth is fmall, 
and has a pair of fomewhat flefhy and moveable lips: the teeth are large, and are al¬ 
ways partly in fight, even when the lips are clofed, for they do not meet in all parts: 
the body is of an extreamly fingular figure; it is oblong, and in fome degree quadran¬ 
gular $ the back being flat, and the belly flat, and the fides parted each way from both 
