236 SCLEROSERMI. 



B. Dorsal spine with only two series of barbs. 



1 . The barbs point backwards and downwards. 



a. Ventral spine present, moveable ; the cutaneous ventral expansion much 

 developed, extending beyond the spine. 



9. Monacanthus chineusis. 



Valmt. fig. 406. 



Balistes chinensis, Bl. ii. p. 29, pi. 52. fig, 1 ; Bl. Schn. p. 468. 



sinensis, Gm. L. i. p. 1470. 



punctatus, Marion de Proce, Bull. Philom. 1822, p. 130. 



Monacanthus chinensis, Cuv. Rbgne An. ; Bleek. Ned, Tyds. Dierk. iii. 



p. 26, or Atl. Ichth. v. p. 125, pi. 222. f. 2. 

 geographicus, Cuv. Rhgne An. ; Cant. Mai. Fish. p. 348 ; Bleek. 



Verh. Bat. Gen. xxiv. Balist. p. 17. 

 ? Monacanthus tomentosus, Cant. Mai. Fish. p. 347. 

 Monacanthus cantoris, Bleek. I. c, or Nat. Tyds. Ned. Ind. iii. p. 80. 

 Balistes granulosus, Gronov. Syst. ed. Gray, p. 34. 



D. 28. A. 28-29. Vert. 7 11. 



Scales exceedingly small, rough, each with a median crest which 

 sometimes terminates in a spine. On each side of the tail six spines 

 directed forwards, and disposed in two rows ; they are scarcely 

 visible in young examples and females. Body elevated, its depth 

 being contained once and a half or once and three-fourths in the 

 total length (without caudal) ; the upper profile rises from the dorsal 

 spine to the origin of the soft dorsal, which is the highest point on 

 the back. Snout pointed, with the upper profile concave. Dorsal 

 spine strong, shorter than the head, armed behind with a double 

 series of strong recurved spines, inserted above the posterior half of 

 the eye. Caudal fin rounded, rather shorter than the head ; old 

 males with the upper caudal ray slightly produced. Ventral spine 

 moveable, tapering, without spinelets, attached to the cutaneous 

 ventral expansion, which is much developed, extending beyond the 

 spine. Dorsal and anal fins moderately elevated, the sixth or seventh 

 rays being the longest, about half as long as the head. Brownish, 

 irregularly marbled with blackish, and the whole body or part of it 

 with numerous small brown spots. Vertical fins crossed by series of 

 Bmall black dots or lines. 



China ; East-Indian archipelago. 



a, b-c. Adult (9 inches long) and half-grown. North China. Pur- 

 chased of Mr. Jamrach. 



d. Adult : skin. China. Presented by J. E. Reeves, Esq. 



e,f. Adult. East-Indian archipelago. From Dr. Bleeker's Collec- 

 tion. 



?(/. HaK-grown : skin. Pinang. From Dr. Cantor's Collection. — 

 Type of M. tomentosus, Cant. 



h~i. Adult and half-grown : skins. Pinang. From Dr. Cantor's 

 Collection. 



Jc. Half-grown. Pinang. From Dr. Cantor's Collection. 



I, m-o. Adult and half-grown. Singapore. 



p. Adult. From the Collection of the Zoological Society. 



