FOUK QVEEXSLAND FISHES— McCVLLOCU. 95 



the rays are brancRed and united with the eaudal. Peetoral obtusely pointed, 

 the median rays longest; most of tlie rays appear to be bifureate. Ventrals 

 each of a single ray which is situated before the vertical of the anterior dorsal 

 spine. Caudal obtusely pointed, the median rays longest and branched. 



Colour-marking. — Pale brown in alcohol, the lower portion of the head 

 and abdomen white. Large brown ocelli cover the upper and lateral surfaces 

 of the lieiul and najn-, and the lips. The back and sides are closely covered with 

 smaller bi'own spots which ai'e darkest and most numerous anteriorly, and become 

 fainter and more scattered posteriorly; tliey disappeai' on the posterior half of 

 the tail. Dorsal fin with less distinct spots. 



Described and figured from a specimen lOS mm. long, which was presented 

 to the Australian Museum by Mr. E. H. Rainford. 



Loc. — Port Deuison, Queensland. 



Family MONACANTHID.^. 



CANTHERINES, Swainson. 



CANTHERINES BRUNNEUS, Castelnau. 



(Plate XXX.) 



Monacanthus Irunneus, Castelnau, Proc. Zool. Soc. Viet., ii, 187.3, p. lOS. Id., Macleay, Proe. 

 Linn. Soc. N. S. "Wales, vi, 1881, p. .327. 



D. ii/36 ; A. 31 ; P. 13 ; C. 12. Depth between the anterior dorsal and anal 

 rays 2-3 in the distance between the snout and the base of the caudal rays ; head, 

 to the middle of the gill-opening, 3-1 in the same. Eye 3-1 in the head, and equal 

 to the interorbital space. Dorsal spine 1-2 in the head. 



Profile of the snout very concave. Ventral spine immovable and covered 

 with sharp projecting spinules; the membrane forms a straight line between 

 the spine and the vent. Skin finely spinate, each spine with a fieshj^ swelling 

 near its tip ; on the ventral membrane the spines are arranged in oblique rows ; 

 no enlarged spines on the caudal peduncle. Gill-opening situated below the 

 hinder half of the eye. Two or three pointed, flattened teeth on each side of 

 the upper jaw, and a large plate-like one near the angle ; two teeth on each side 

 of the mandible, those of the symphysis being much larger than any of the 

 others. Dorsal spine above the anterior half of the eye ; its upper half bears two 

 rows of flattened spinules projecting forwards, some of which are bi- or tridentate ; 

 these decrease in size as they approach the base of the spine; posterior margins 

 of the spine with enlarged spinules on. the basal half. Dorsal and anal fins 

 rounded, the rays longest in the anterior fourths of their lengths, and spinate 

 near their bases. Caudal rounded, the rays alternately thick and thin, branched 

 and largely spinate. Second ray of the pectoral longest, a little longer than the 

 eye ; the rays are spinate basally. 



