20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxvi. 



Monocentris cataphracta Bleeker, Kon. Ak. Wet. Amob., 1853, p. 5; Kaminoseki. 

 Lejnsacunthus japonicus Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Ill, 1802, p. .S21 (after 



Houttuyn). 

 ■ Monocentris japonicus Cuvier and Valenciennes, Hist. Poiss., IV, 1829, p. 461, 



pi. xcvii; Japan (Coll. Tilesius) — Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 50, 



pi. XXII, fig. 1; Nagasaki — Steindachnek, Fisehe Japans, I, 1883, p. 9; Enos- 



hima, Nagasaki, Kanagawa, Philippines. 

 Monocentris carinata Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 1801, p. 100, pi. xxiv; Japan (c-alled 



Monocentris cataphracta on plate). 



Head 2i to 2^; depth If to If; D., V or VI; 11 to 12; A. 10; P. I, 

 13; V, I 3; scales 2-12 to 11-4. Body deep, compressed, covered with 

 large scales, which are ver^' roughly striated and each with a median 

 keel armed with a series of several backwardly projecting- .short spines, 

 so as to form 7 rows along the sides; there is a ventral keel similar to 

 the scales along the sides. Head without scales I)ut very rough, the 

 ridges elevated and with papillose skin stretchng from one to the 

 other, leaving large mucous cavities underneath; the depth of the head 

 about eipial to its length; eye a little in front of the middle, 3i in the 

 head, greater than the snout, and 1^ in the interorbital space; nostrils 

 directly in front of the eye, the posterior very much the larger; snout 

 very i"ound, obtuse, and projecting beyond the mouth; the mouth 

 large, o])li(|ue, and inferior, with the maxillary extending to ))elow 

 the posterior margin of the eye; jaws without teeth; interorbital space 

 roundly convex; gill-opening rather large, with well-developed flap 

 and forming a free fold across the isthuuis; gill-rakers somewhat 

 niunerous, slender, and at least as long as half of eye; the skin between 

 the jaws below is coarsely papillose or fringed; origin of the dorsal a 

 little behind the gill-opening; spinous dorsal composed of at least 3, 

 very often 1, very robust, strong, pointed spines, inclined alternately 

 somewhat to one side of the body or the other, the first always the 

 shortest, and the second alwaj's the longest, the other dorsal spines 

 obsolete; soft dorsal high in the middle w^ith rounded edge; anal high 

 in front and sloping behind; higher than the soft dorsal; pectorals 

 low, I2 in the head; ventral spine very strong, long, 1-k in the head, 

 and reaching the anus caudal with ])oth lobes pointed, the edge emar- 

 ginate; caudal peduncle a little less than the eye. 



Color ill alcohol, pale brown; each scale with sivin at its base black- 

 ish, forming a reticulated pattern as it shows along the edges; jaws, 

 blackish; several blackish l)ands radiating from the eye and around 

 the opercles. Total length, 5 inches. 



Here descri))ed from Nagasaki examples. 



Color in life, coppery l)rown above and on the fins; sides and below, 

 coppery yellow; outlines of scales, ])lackish. 



This extraordinary little fish is rather common in clear waters with 

 rocky bottom off the coast of Japan. Our lunnerous specimens are 

 from Tokyo, Misaki, Wakanoura, Sagami Bay, Suruga Bay, Nagasaki, 

 and Nafa in Okinawa. 



