160 CONTRIBUTIONS TO AUSTRALIAN ICHTHYOLOGY, 



twelve articulated rays ; anal short with ten to twelve rays ; 

 ventral inserted below the base of the pectoral, with an 

 enormously developed spine and two to four rudimentary rays; 

 the spine provided with a locking apparatus, by means of which 

 it can be immovably fixed at right angles to the axis of the body; 

 when laid back it fits into a smooth groove outside of the 

 abdominal scutes; pectoral moderate, asymmetrical, with thirteen 

 to fifteen rays, the upper the longest ; caudal emarginate and 

 rather small; all the soft rays strongly spinulose. Scales large, 

 coarse, and but little imbricated, each with a strong, median 



carina, bearing near its centre a stout backwards directed spine, 

 from the base of which radiate spinulose stripe; abdomen protected 

 by a series of largely developed scutes; soft dorsal and anal fins 



depressible within a scaly groove. Air-bladder large. Pyloric 



appendages in small number. 



Inhabitants of the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, residing 



possibly at considerable depths but visiting the neighbourhood of 



the shore at stated seasons. 



Referring to the Japanese species, Monocentris jnponiciis, 



Schlegel writes :* " Common in Japan, and found in great 



numljers in winter and spring in the Bay of Nagasaki; its flesh 



is much relished by the inhabitants of the empire, and they 



usually eat it raw." 



In comparing our Australian fish with the typical form, several 



points immediately claim our attention : — 



Primarily all the authors whom I am in a position to consult 



— -Cuvier and Valenciennes, Schlegel, and Giinther — agree in 



denying to M. jaj^oniciis the presence of vomerine teeth; in fact, 



the authors of the " Histoire Naturelle " go out of their way to 



remark that the absence of these teeth is " chose singuliere." 

 The dental diagnosis is thus given by Giinther, "villiform teeth 



in the jaws and on the palatine bones, none on the vomer."! 



This brief announcement conveys at best but a hazy idea of the 



* Fauna Japonica, Pisces, p. 50. 

 t Catalogue of Fishes, i. p. 9. 



