66 



MoNACANTHUs viTTATUs. Solauder, {Balistes). 



Aleuterius paragaudatus. Richardson. 



Radii : — D. Qj— 32 ; A. 31 ; C. 12 ; P. 13 ; V. 1 1. 



(Solander). 



Ch. Spec. M. cute temiisshne scabrd, capite longo obtitso, 

 octilis supra pinnas pectoris ; spina dorsi transversim 

 ancipiti, lateribus retrorsum aculeatis ; pinnis dorsi 

 unique antice acuminatis ; corpore quadrivittato, vittis 

 alhescentibus. 



Radii :— B. 6 ; D. 2|— 30 ad 34 ; A. 28 ad 32 ; C. 12 ; 

 P. 10 ad 12. 



Aleuterius paragaudatus, Kichardson, Zool. Proceed. March lOth, 

 1840. Zool. Trans, iii. p. 172. 



Plate XXXIX., fig. 1, natural size ; 2 — 4, magnified. 



Balistes vittatus, Solander, Pisces Novae Hollandije, MSS., p. 1 ; 

 Icon. 48, Fish of King George's Sound, drawn by Dept. Assist. Coram. 

 Gen. Neill, in Mus. Brit. 



Various Australian BalisfidcB were named by Solander, 

 Forster, and others, but owing to the descriptions they 

 have left being confined to colour or to the generic 

 characters, the determination of the species they allude to 

 is difficult. The figures we have given in the present fasci- 

 culus will facilitate this task to future ichthyologists, and 

 as a further assistance, we subjoin Solander's account of a 

 well-marked species, which is sketched in Mr. Neill's 

 book. 



" Corpus ovato-lanceolatum, compressum, cute tenuis- 

 sime retrorsum scabra tectum. Totus piscis pallide cine- 

 reus, vittis quatuor albescentibus : dtice inJimcB obsoletcB. 

 Caput longius quam in plurimis, obtusum, latere et in- 

 ferne sordide lutescens. Anus valde magnus. Oculi su- 

 pra pinnas pectorales. Iris alba. Pupilla nigra. Carina 

 abdominis ad unum ducta, radio unico scabriusculo termi- 

 nata. Pinna dorsalis prima e radio unico magno trans- 

 versim ancipiti, lateribus retrorsum aculeatis, sesquiun- 

 ciali [in pisce 18 unciarum) luteo et altero minuto albido, 

 vi.v nisi oculis attentioribus perceptibili. Pinna dorsalis 

 posterior lutea, pone medium, antice alitor. PinncB pec- 

 torales lutecB, parv(B oblique ovatcB, sursum seu angulo su- 

 periori parum acuminata. Pinna ventrales e carina 

 descriptd abdomine vix coloratior. Pinna analis lutea, 

 similis pinna dorsali secundd. Pinna caudalis a basi ex- 

 tra medium cinerea, apice lutescens, truncata, radii 

 extimi cmteris pauld longiores. Os parvum. Denies va- 

 lidi acuti." 



" Villa prima prope dorsum ; secunda ab oculis ad 

 initium caudce paulb supra medium ; tertia a pitinis pec- 

 toralibus infra medium ad Jinem cauda ducta; quarta 

 obsoleta in abdomine.^'' (Solander, 1. c). 



Mr. Neill's drawing exhibits the profile of the fish as a 

 pretty regular ellipse, of which the vertical diameter is con- 

 tained thrice and a half in the total length. The anterior 

 apex is foi-med by the lower jaw and is acute, and the 

 length of the head to the pectoral, equals the greatest height 

 of the body. The dorsal spine is shorter than one-third of 

 the height. The third white band is the broadest and 

 brightest, and the fourth, agreeable to the description, is lost 

 in the pale tint of the belly. 



Hab. King George's Sound, rare. (Neill). In sinu—} 

 Novce Hollandite, Aprilis iSl/i, 1770, (Solander). 



This gaily ornamented Aleuterius is common in the har- 

 bours of Van Diemen's Land and the southern coasts of 

 New South Wales up to Port Jackson. Its form is 

 elliptic-oblong, the greatest height of the body being con- 

 tained thrice and one-third in the total length ; and 

 the thickness being a fourth of the height. The mouth 

 turns obliquely upwards, as is usual in the genus, the chin 

 being more prominent than the upper jaw. The cutting 

 edges of the teeth are even, not lunated. The dorsal spine 

 stands over the hinder third of the orbit and the gill-open- 

 ing ; and when depressed, is received completely into the 

 furrow behind it, which reaches only half way to the 

 second dorsal. It is four-sided, tapering, and acute, and 

 is armed by acute teeth on each angle. Figure 2 is an en- 

 larged front view of the spine ; 3 a posterior view ; and 4 

 a lateral one. The whole body is densely covered with 

 very short, acute bristles, springing from globular bases. 

 They are invisible to the naked eye, and feel rough only 

 when the finger is drawn forwards. The original tints of 

 colour have been effaced by long maceration of the speci- 

 mens in spirits, but the following markings remain. The 

 general hue is olive-brown, becoming silvery towards the 

 belly. A black streak runs from the eye along the side of 

 the nose and encircles the mouth. A pale stripe com- 

 mences further back on the lower jaw, and ascending to 

 the lower third of the orbit, is continued from behind the 

 eye to the middle of the flank where it terminates. It has 

 a bluish silvery hue in spirits, and is edged above and be- 

 low with black. A similar stripe rises close to the pre- 

 ceding one on the chin, and running backwards under the 

 edge of the pectoral ends in a row of spots. Above it, is a 

 broader stripe, retaining a yellowish tinge which may be 

 traced over the pectoral and some way along the flank. 

 These stripes vary slightly in their course in different spe- 

 cimens. Roimd greyish-blue, or pearly spots ornament all 

 the body below the inferior stripe, also the tail as far for- 

 ward as the middle of the dorsal and the side of the back 

 to the front of that fin. These spots are elongated into 

 short bars along the pelvic bone. In some specimens 

 there are a few spots in the space, which is destitute 

 of them in the specimen which is figured. A dark bar 

 crosses the caudal near its end, and there are some dark 

 blotches on the back under the second dorsal. These spe- 

 cimens vary in length from 5 to 6 inches. Vertebrae 20. 

 Hab. Port Arthur, Van Diemen's Land. Port Jackson, 

 Australia. 



