128. BALISTID^ MONACANTHUS. 
8.57 
blotched. Body rather deep. Jaws siibequal; eyes large, more than 
s length of snout. Gill-opening about as long as eye, separated from 
the eye by an interspace nearly equal to its length. Anterior profile 
slightly concave. Dorsal spine somewhat shorter than snout, inserted 
above posterior part of eye, stout, rough, armed behind with 2 rows of 
retrorse barbs. First ray of soft dorsal said to be sometimes filament- 
ous (not so in our specimens) j pectorals small. Pelvic bone long, end- 
ing in a short, blunt, movable spine, beyond which the abdominal flap 
does not extend; length of free edge of flap when expanded not greater 
than diameter of eye. Scales minute, each with a crest of about 3 
prickles, those on caudal peduncle villous, those on the ventral flap 
larger, elongate; no naked areas; no recurved spines on tail. Head 
3f ; depth If. D. 1-32; A. 32. L. 6 inches. Cape Cod to Tropical 
Seas; abundant on our South Atlantic coast. 
(Balistes hrocciis Mitch. Trails. Lit. & Phil. Soc. i, 467, 181.5: Monacanthus hrocctts, 
viassachusettensiii, aud setifer Dek. N. Y. Fauna, Fish. 1842, 335-337: Monacanthus mas- 
sachusettensis Storer, Fish. Mass. 425: Monacanthus seiifer (in part) Glinther, viii, 240: 
Stephanolepis setifer Gill.) 
1333. M. davidsoHi Cope. 
Brown, with 5 longitudinal bands with jiale centres, the upper and 
lower forming 3 dark blotches at the base of dorsal and anal; head 
unspotted; caudal with a brown cross-band. Scales with 3 scutes on 
a common base; longer, slender, recurved spines on tail, in 2 clusters 
of 3 each; sides with slender scattered filaments. Dorsal spine with 
strong teeth, its height one-half dejith of body. Pelvic iilate elongate, 
spinous all around. Depth 21-. D. 1-30; A. 28. Florida Beef. {Cofte.) 
(Cope, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc. Phila. xiv, 476, 1870.) 
1334. M. spilonotiis Cope. 
Light-brown; some longitudinal lines just below the dorsal fin, the 
median developing a dark spot belo^^' the middle of the soft dorsal. 
Scales each supporting a pedicle, whose summit divides into 4 or 5 rad- 
iating spines. Body elongate; outline of front straight. Dorsal spine 
long, with simple teeth, in length of body; dorsal and anal fins me- 
dially elevated; no brush or spines on caudal peduncle. Pelvic shield 
elongate, spinous all aronnd, the movable portion i)reseut. Dei^th 2J; 
D. 1-32; A. 31. Gulf of Mexico. {Cope.) 
(Cope, Traus. Amer. Phil. Soc. Phila. xiv, 476, 1870.) 
