FISHES OF NEW ZEALAND. 71 



the inner series ; lower jaw with six similar teeth in a single series ; 

 the first dorsal fin reduced to a simjle strony sjune, behind which is 

 sometimes another rudimentary spine ; ventrals reduced to an osseous 

 appendage ; no barbel. 



Tropical and subtropical seas. 



114. MONACANTHUS CONVEXIROSTRIS. Gunth. CM. 

 Leather Jacket. 



M. rudis, Cat. Col. Mus. M. convexirostris, Giinth., VIII., 248. 

 D. 31 - 37 ; A. 32 - 35. 

 Body covered with small spiny but very distinct scales ; length two 

 and one-fifth times the height ; snout rather produced, more than one- 

 half of the height of the body, the upper profile straight, or slightly 

 convex ; gill openings under the centre of the eye, extending cdraost as 

 far as its anterior margin; pectoral fin helow the eye; dorsal spine 

 placed over the hinder half of the eye, strong, much shorter than the 

 head, armed both behind and in front with a double series of barbs, 

 those in front being smaller and more ii-regular ; ventral spine barbed, 

 no spines on the tail. 



Back reddish brown ; below pale yellowish brown. 



Common in Wellington Harbour ; Tasmania. 



Balister scaber, Forster, from Queen Charlotte Sound was most likely 

 this species, but Dr. GUnther says that the cb-awing is more like M. 

 peronii, in which the males have a band of spines on each side of the 

 tail, between the dorsal and anal fins, and the pectoral fin placed further 

 back. 



OSTRACION. 



The integuments of the body ai-e modified into a carapace composed 

 of juxtaposed hexagonal osseous scutes, the snout, bases of the fins, and 

 hind pai-t of the tail being covered by soft skin ; mouth small, each jaw 

 with a single series of small slender teeth ; one short dorsal, without 

 spine, opposite to the short anal ; no ventrals. 



Seas of tropical and subtropical regions. 



115. OSTRACION FORNASINI. Bianc? CM. 



Trunk Pish. 



0. quadricornis, Cat. Col. Mus. 0. fornasini, Gunth., VIII., 264. 



Carapace four ridged, the lower surface being consideral^ly broader 



than the upper ; a paii- of long conical spines, as long as the snout, in 



