5. lIONACANTnuS. 231 



Monacanthus melanuropterus, Blcek. Nat. Tyds, Ned. Ind. iii. p. 781. 



houttuyni, Blcek. I. c. v. p. 351. 



aspersus, HoUard, I. c. p. 802. 



Lioinonaciintlius pardalis, Blcek. Ned. Tyds. Dierk. iii. p. 27 ; Atl. 



Ichth. Balht. p. 186, tab. 280. fig. 2. 

 Monacanthus frouticinctiis, Giinth. in Fish. Zmiz. p. 130, pi. 19. fig. 2 



(typ. specimen, but not example no. 521). 



Synonymy of Atlantic spec'miens. 



Lija colorada, Barm, p. 49, lam. 23. 



Monacanthus pullus, Banzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. 8c. Inst. Banon. 1842, 



V. p. 4, tab. 1. 



ruppellii, Casteln. Anim. Atn. Sud, Boiss. p. 97, pi. 47. fig. 2. 



niacrocerus, HoUard, Ann. Sc. Nat. 1854, ii. p. 327, pi. 12. 



fig. 1 (adult). 



parraianus, Boey, Broc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Bhilad. 1803, p. 185. 



irroratus. Bury, 3Iem. Cub. ii. p. 380. 



punctatus, Bucy, Bepert. Fis.-nat. Cub. ii. p. 437. 



stratus, Boey, Man. Cub. ii. p. 329, and /. c. ii. p. 171. 



D. 35-30, A. 30-31. 



Scales minute, the skin having a velvety appearance. Large ex- 

 amples (12 inches long) with two pairs of strong recurved spines 

 on eacli side of the tail. The hind margin of the orbit vertically 

 above the axil of the pectoral fin. Body moderately elevated, its 

 depth being one-half or rather more than one-half of the total 

 length (without caudal). Snout moderately produced, with the 

 upper profUc slightly concave. Dorsal spine nearly straight, rather 

 shorter than the head, without barbs, situated above the anterior 

 part of the orbit. Caudal fin I'ouuded, rather short. Ventral spine 

 not moveable, attached to the abdomen by a simple membrane. 

 Dorsal and anal fins rather low. The coloration varies. Generally 

 a whitish spot behind the last dorsal ray. 



Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. 



Var. a. Body with brown spots separated from one another by a 

 network of whitish lines. Head with undulated bluish longitudinal 

 stripes. 



a, h. Half-grown. Zanzibar. Presented by Lieut. -Col, Playfair. 



c. Half-grown : skin. Zanzibar. Presented by Lieut.-Col. Playfair. 



Var. ft. Uniform brown or brownish black. 



d. Half-grown. Amboyna. Purchased of Hr. Frank, 



e. Half-grown. Moluccas. 



f-f). Adult (13 inches) and half-grown : skins. Aneiteum. 



h. Adult (13 inches) : skin. Jamaica. Purchased of Mr. Parnell. 



i-l. Half-grown : skins. West Indies. Purchased of Mr. Scrivener. 



m. Half-grown. West Indies. Purchased of Mr. Scrivener. 



n. Young. 



Var. y. Brown, with indistinct darker spots. 



'». Half-grown : skin. Zanzibar. From Lieut.-Col. Playf'aius Col- 

 lection. — Typo of M. fro nfi el net as. 



