224 NEW OR RARE FISHES, 



MoNACANTHUS FiLiCAUDA, Giinther. 



As far as I am aware, this species has not been recorded since 

 originally described* from the South of New Guinea in the 

 Arafura Sea. From January to March last small numbers were 

 to be met with at Maroubra ; many of them were living, but all 

 appeared to have been injured, and being thus unable to withstand 

 the heavy surfs, were washed on to the sandy beach. The black 

 spot below the dorsal fin is, as Giinther observes, a constant 

 feature. 



MoNACANTHUS NITENS, Hollard. 



Mr. Whitelegge has been fortunate in securing a second member 

 of this genus, which, so far as I can ascertain from the literature 

 at my disposal, has not been found since 1854, when it was first 

 described and figured.! Hollard appears to have considered that 

 the single specimen described might be miniatui'e and possibly -tlie 

 young of a previously described species, but as our example seems 

 to agree with it in all particulars, there can be little doubt that 

 it is an adult form, and thei-efore quite distinct. Our example 

 was obtained at Maroubra during the present month (May), and 

 as it is probably only the second specimen ever obtained it will be 

 well to describe it. 



D. 30. A. 26. P. 12. C. 12. Length of head (to gill opening) 

 3-3, of caudal 5-2, height of body 2-5 in the total length. 



Eyes 3-6 in the length of the head, barely a diameter apart and 

 2-6 from the end of the snout. Gill opening but little oblique, 

 beneath the posterior margin of the orbit and distant from the 

 centre of the eye one diameter. 



Upper and lower profile of snout concave, back between the 

 spine and the fin straight and horizontal. The spine arises imme- 

 diately over the centre of the eye, is moderately strong and very 

 slightly curved backwards ; it is long and equals its distance from 

 the end of the snout. The barbs ai-e in two lateral series pointing 



* Challenger Shore Fishes, p. 50, pi. xxiii. f. D. 

 + Ann. des Sci. Nat. 4'nes^rie, Tom. ii. p. 364, pi. 14, f. 12 (f. 4 in text). 



