THE 
SPOTTED BATISTES. 
GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Xeeth several in both jaws. 
Xody compressed : abdomen carinated. 
Skin tough, often reticulated by scale-like divi¬ 
sions. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER, 
Subviolaceous File-Fish, with blue spots and 
whitish abdomen. 
The spotted File-Fish. 
Der gefleckte Hornfisch. 
Bloch. Ichth. pi. 151 . 
The Balistes maculatus, or Spotted File-Fish, is 
a native of the Indian and American seas, where it 
grows to the length of about two feet; its flesh is said 
to be of a good flavour, and it is therefore numbered 
among the esculent fishes. 
