Page:Natural History, Fishes.djvu/304

290 supporting plate, and offers no impediment to the progress of the fish through the water."

These fishes are generally adorned with rich and brilliant colours, often arranged in diagonal lines or bands; they abound in the seas of hot climates, generally swimming among the rocks, like the Chætodons, which they not a little resemble. Some have the body set with curiously branched filaments. Their flesh is rank and unwholesome.

We illustrate the genus by a description and figure of Balistes velatus (.), a West

species which has fallen under our observation. The dorsal and each lobe of the caudal are produced into long pointed filaments. The body is purplish brown on the upper parts, with the throat and belly pale buff. Several curved lines and bands pass across the face, of a rich azure hue, with yellow edges. The fins are blackish purple.