612 NEW YORK STATE MUSElUM 



Monacanthus massachusettensis De Kay, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 336. pi. 57, 



fig. 187, 1842, Massachusetts Bay; Stoker, Hist. Fish. Mass. 231, 



pl. XXIV, fig. 4, 1867. 

 MoiHivanthiis setifer De Kay. N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 337, pl. 59, fig. 194, 



1842, New York Haa-bor; Goode Sc Bean, Bull. Essex Inst. XI, 4, 



1879. 

 Mouacanthiis hroccus De Kay, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 335, pl. 56, fig. 183, 



1842; Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. 16, U. S. Nat. Mus. 856, 1883. 

 Monacanthus Mspidns Bean, Bull. U. S. F. C. VII, 133, 1888; 19th Rep. 



Comm. Fish. N. Y. 241, 1890; Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. IX, 369, 1897; 



H. M. Smith, Bull. U. S. F. C. 1897, 104, 1898; Jordan & Evermann. 



Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1715, 1898, pl. CCLIX, fig. 635, 1900; Bean, 



52(1 Ann. Rep. N. Y. Stiite Mus. 107, 1900. Great South Bay. 



Body rather deep, the length being one and three fourths times 

 the depth and three and two fifths times the length of the head; 

 jaws subequal; eyes large, more than one third length of snout; 

 gill opening about as long as eye, separated from the eye by an 

 interspace nearh- equal to its length; anterior profile slightly 

 concave; dorsal spine somewhat shorter than snout, inserted 

 above posterior part of eye, stout, rough, armed behind with two 

 rows of retrorse barbs; first ray of soft dorsal sometimes fila- 

 mentous, one half of total length without caudal; pectorals small, 

 one half length of snout; pelvic bone long, ending in a short, 

 blunt, movable spine, beyond which the abdominal flap does not 

 extend; length of free edge of flap when expanded not greater 

 than diameter of eye; scales minute, each with a crest of about 

 three prickles, those on the caudal peduncle villous, those on the 

 ventral flap larger, elongate; no naked areas; recurved spines on 

 l.iil. l.niMii, 10 inches. D. 1-32 to 33; A. 32 to 33; P. 15. 



Dull greenish mottled with darker; fins olivaceous, somewhat 

 bIni.li.Ml. Massachusetts bay to tropical seas; abundant on our 

 iSouili Atlantic coast. Also found ilirough the West Indies to 

 Brazil, in the Canaries and Madeira. 



Milrliill and De Kay both recorded the filefish from New York, 

 where it was not uncommon in summer. 



This fisli is taken in Gravesend bay in moderate numbers 

 occasionally in ilic fall. Individuals were sent from there in 

 Sepicmher and November 1897. Some were living in a tropical 

 (auk and feeding fieely on December 11. A single specimen was 

 tuk.ii at IS.int of Woods, Great South bay, Aug. 16, 1898. 





