560 PROCEEDINns OF rffj: XATIOXAL MFSEUM. vol. xxv. 



region and Polynesia, is rare in Japan, the adult only taken in the 

 southern islands, the young extending in the Kuro Shiwo, to the rock 

 pools as far north as Tokio. In our collection is one very large spec- 

 imen from Nagasaki, a smaller one from Kiusiu, and a still smaller 

 one from Misaki. This latter has no frontal spine and no caudal 

 plates. This species is subject to very great variation with age. A 

 very large example f ron) Misaki is in the Imperial Museum at Tokyo. 

 {unicornis, one-horned. ) 



Family VII. SIGANID.E. 



Body ol)long, compressed, covered with very small cycloid scales; 

 lateral line continuous; tail unarmed. Mouth small, with a single 

 series of serrated trenchant incisors in the jaws; no teeth on vomer or 

 palatines. Fseudobranchite well developed. Gill-membranes not uni- 

 ted; attached to the isthmus; })ranchiostegals 5. A single dorsal tin, 

 its rays XIII, 10, the spines strong; anal rays VII, 9, the spines well 

 developed. Ventral fins thoracic, each with an outer and an inner 

 spine, and three soft rays between them. Caudal fin cunate. Air 

 bladder large, forked before and behind. Intestinal canal with several 

 convolutions; pyloric caeca 5 or 6. Vertebrae 10 -f- 13 = 23. Skele- 

 ton showing many peculiarities, the maxillary and premaxillary firmly 

 united, the lower pharyngeals very little developed. Herbivorous 

 fishes of the East Indian seas, all belonging to the single genus jSiganus. 

 The family is of uncertain affinities, and shows numerous peculiarities 

 not found in related forms. It is probably nearest the Acanthuridse. 



16. SIGANUS Fopskal. 



Sigtirius ForskAl, De.scr. Aniiu., X, 1775, p. 28 {sii/niini^-rirulatiiK) . 

 Cenlroyaster Houttuyn, Acta Soc. Harlem, V, 1782, pp. 20, .333 (fuseescens). 

 A m phacnnthns ficHtiEivER, Syst. Ichth., 1801, p. 206. 



Teidhis Cantor, Cat. Malayan Fishes, 1850, p. 207 (J'/'h.v, and <»f numerous 

 authors, not of Linnteus). 

 The characters of the genus are included above. 

 {Sidjan or Si(/lan, the Arabian name of tSif/mnf.s xlganufi.) 

 a. Color hrown, gray, or yellow, usually with very numerous rouml, whitish 



spots fuHccscenH, 26. 



na. Color yellow, with obliijue blue bands and streaks, distinct about the head. 



flrgatits, 27. 

 26. SIGANUS FUSCESCENS (Houttuyn). 



AIGO (BLUF: THING); GINHAiil (SILVERY SCRAPER); KIZINOUWO 

 (PHEASANT FISH). 



Cenlrogaster fuscesceus Houttuyn, Act. Soc. Harl., XX, 1782, p. .333; 



Amphacanthiis fuKcescenfi Cuvier and Valencennes, Hist. Poiss., X, 1835, p. 156; 

 .Japan. — Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Poiss., 1847, p. 127, pi. lxviii, fig. 1, 

 Nagasaki. — Bleekek, Verb. Bat. (Jen., XXVI, .Japan, 1857, p. 106; Nagasaki. 



