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Any marine fish of the genus Batrachus, having a large, thick head and a wide mouth, and bearing some resemblance to a toad. The American species (Batrachus tau) is very common in shallow water. Called also oyster fish, and sapo.

ad are said to be used to entice fishes within reach. Called also fishing frog, frogfish, toadfish, goosefish, allmouth, monkfish, etc.

pecifically: Of or pertaining to the Batrachidæ, a family of marine fishes, including the toadfish. Some have poisonous dorsal spines.

An oceanic fish of the genus Antennarius or Pterophrynoides; -- called also mousefish and toadfish.

An American marine fish of the genus Porichthys, allied to the toadfish. Cadet midshipman, formerly a title distinguishing a cadet line officer from a cadet engineer at the U. S. Naval Academy. See under Cadet. -- Cadet midshipman, formerly, a naval cadet who had served his time, passed his examinations, and was await…

ng up oyster from the bottom of the sea. -- Oyster fish. (Zoöl.) (a) The tautog. (b) The toadfish. -- Oyster plant. (Bot.) (a) A plant of the genus Tragopogon (T. porrifolius), the root of which, when cooked, somewhat resembles the oyster in taste; salsify; -- called also vegetable oyster. (b) A plant found on the se…

A large toadfish the Southern United States and the Gulf of Mexico (Batrachus tau, var. pardus).

A toadfish.

hawk. (Zoöl.) See Chanting falcon, under Chanting. -- Singing fish (Zoöl.), a California toadfish (Porichthys porosissimus). -- Singing flame (Acoustics), a flame, as of hydrogen or coal gas, burning within a tube and so adjusted as to set the air within the tube in vibration, causing sound. The apparatus is called a…

The common American toadfish; -- so called from a marking resembling the Greek letter tau (t). Tau cross. See Illust. 6, of Cross.