426 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
MONACANTHUS SIGNIFER, Storer. 
(PLATE XXXV. Fie. 1.) 
Monacanthus setifer, DEKAY, Report, p. 337, pl. 59, fig. 194. 
Monacanthus signifer, STORER, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, 11. p. 497. 
sel us Synopsis, p. 245. 
Color. Of a reddish-brown color, with greenish reflections. 
Description. Body elongated, compressed. ‘The entire surface is very minutely 
granulated, by which a sensation of roughness is perceived, by the finger, over its 
whole extent, with the exception of the fleshy portion of the tail, and a small 
portion of the body just anterior to it; which parts are thickly studded with stiff 
sete, looking and feeling like the teeth of a card, the points of which incline for- 
wards, producing consequently this roughness only when the finger is drawn towards 
the tail. 
The depth of the fish across the body from the base of the dorsal fin is less 
than half its length ; the depth at the fleshy portion, to its greatest depth, is as 
one to four. The length of the. head is equal to one fourth the entire length of 
the fish. The mouth is small. The teeth are sharp, and are four in number on 
each side. The eyes are circular. On the top of the head, back of the centre 
of the eyes, is situated a movable spine, terminating in a naked point, and armed 
posteriorly upon its sides with a number of small spines pointing downwards; these 
spines are more developed towards its upper portion. 
The dorsal fin arises just back of the centre of the fish, and is nearly as long 
as the greatest depth of the fish; its second ray is the longest. 
The pectorals commence on a line beneath the dorsal spine. 
The pelvic bone is prominent, and terminates in a small stellated point; the 
dewlap to which it is attached is marked by large granulations, similar to those 
upon the rest of the surface. ! 
The anal fin commences back of the dorsal; it is of a rounded form, and ter- 
minates opposite that fin. | 
. The caudal fin is composed of very firm rays. 
The fin rays are as follows: — D. 32. P. 16. A. 32. je 10. 
Length, five inches. 
Remarks. Until the summer of 1842 I had not known of an individual of this 
species having been taken in the waters of this State. During that season, how- 
ever, I saw specimens which had been caught at Hingham, Lynn, Nahant, and 
even in our harbor by means of seines. For the fine specimen from which my 
