EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 195 



bait used, but in a natural state its principal food consists of molluscs 

 and crustaceans, the hard shells of which are easily crushed by its strong 

 incisor teeth. 



Alluding to a closely allied species (M. convexirosiris), which is found both 

 on our coast and that of New Zealand — where it' is said to be the sole 

 representative of the genus — Sherrin writes: " Though usually cast aside as 

 worthless, it has really palatable flesh, when the tough skin, from which 

 it receives its trivial name, is removed. The Maori name for this fish is 

 * Kiriri'." 



The Variable or Orange-spotted Leatherjacket is found along our coast at 

 least as far north as the Port Jackson District, but to what extent it ranges 

 from thence we are unable to say, since, from the fact that they do not pay 

 for their carriage when sent from a distance, we have no means of ascertaining 

 their true distribution. They ai'e also found in the seas of Victoria, Tasmania, 

 and South Australia, and are, according to McCoy, not uncommon in the 

 former Colony. Klunzinger has also recorded it from King George's Sound. 



They attain a length of eighteen inches. 



MONACANTHUS TEACHYLEPIS. 



Ilonacanthns tracliylepis, Grnth. Catal. Pish. viii. p. 248 ; Klunzing. SB. Ak. 



AVien, 1879, Ixxx. Abth. i. p. 422 ; Macleay, Catal. Austr. Pish. ii. p. 249. 

 Monacantlius rudis, Klunziug. SB. Ak. Wien, 1872, p. 43 {not Ricliards07i). 

 Monacantlius convexirosiris, Klunzing. SB. Ak. Wien, 1872, p. 43 {;not 



GuntJier). 

 ? Monacantlus haudini, Casteln. Proc. Zool. Soc. Vict. ii. p. 55. 



Yellow-finned Leatherjacket. 

 D. 36-39. A. 33-35. P. 12-13. C. 12. 



Length of head 375, of caudal fin 5-50-6-00, height of body 2-90-3-00 in 

 the total length. Eye small, its diameter 3'75 in the length of the snout, 

 •and 125 in the interorbital space, which is strongly convex. Nostrils 

 approximate, situated a little below the plane of the upper margin of the 

 eye, the anterior minute and circular, furnished with a small posterior flap ; 

 the posterior patent and horizontally oval. Snout produced, with the pro- 

 file slightly concave. Gill-opening advanced and very oblique situated 

 beneath the anterior two thirds of the orbit, its length 3"00-3'25 in that of 

 the snout. Dorsal spine strong and straight, equal in length to the snout, 

 and situated above the middle of the orbit ; its latero-posterior margins 

 armed with a series of small barbs pointing backwards and downwards, and 

 with a double series of minute, closely set barbs anteriorly ; the remaining 

 surface of the spine rough in front, smooth behind : soft dorsal and anal fins 

 rather low, subequal in height, the longest rays in front of the middle of 

 the fins, and three sevenths of the height of the dorsal spine : tlie anal com- 

 mences beneath the fifth or sixth dorsal ray, and ends but little beyond that 

 fin: ventral spine minute, immovable, with very short teeth radiating from its 

 centre : pectoral small, placed beneath the hinder margin of the orbit, its 

 length 2-25-2'40 in that of the snout : caudal rounded ; the pedicle with two 

 pairs of strong compressed spines curved forwards on each side, and occa- 

 sionally a supplementaiy spine on one or both sides, its least height 3'40- 

 3-55 in the height of the body, and its length between the end of the dorsal 

 and the base of the caudal equal to its height. Scales indistinct, replaced 

 by vertical prominences, each of which bears from three to five spinelets ; a 

 small patch of longer bristles immediately in front of the pedicular spines. 



