MONOCANTHUS. FISHES. 395 



4. Tail armed with four rows of spines. 



R.fasciatus, Shaw. (B. rectangulus, Schn.) Body rhombic-ovate, 

 slightly lengthened ; upper parts pale yellow, the head deep yel- 

 low ; an oblique black band on each side ; lower parts red brown ; 

 tail armed with four longitudinal rows of small spines. Inhabits 

 Indian Seas Shaw, v. 409. 



5. Tail armed with six or seven rows of spines. 

 B. ringens, Bloch. Body entirely black, strongly marked by cross 

 lines into rhombic divisions ; a streak of blue along the base of 

 each of the pectoral fins, and across the tail ; tail slightly lunated. 

 10 or 12 inches long. Inhabits Indian and American seas. 

 Block, pi. 152, fig. 2. 



6. Tail with from twelve to fifteen rows of spines. 

 B. Sonneratii, Shaw. (JLe Baliste bourse, Lacep.) Body ovate, gray 

 brown above, bluish white beneath ; on each side of the head a 

 black crescent, passing downwards as far as the base of the pec- 

 toral fins. 6 to 10 inches long. Indian seas. Shaw, v. 406. 



Gen. 5. MONOCANTHUS, Cuv. 



Scales very small, rough with scabrosities ; extremity of the 

 pelvis projecting and spinous ; first dorsal fin with one large 

 serrated spine ; eight teeth in a single row in each jaw. 



M. Chinensis, Bloch. Pelvis moveable and attached to the abdomen 

 by an extensible membrane ; body broad, rough, compressed on 

 the sides, pale gray, and marked with small yellow spots ; a double 

 row of teeth on the dorsal spine. A few inches long. Inhabits 

 Indian Seas. Bloch, pi. 152. fig. 1. 



M. tomentosus, Bloch. Body compressed on the sides, yellowish 

 brown ; abdomen ventricose, yellow, with semilunar, rough, black 

 spots; dorsal spine strong, serrated behind; tail rounded, the 

 sides with stiff hairs. A few inches long. Inhabits Indian seas. 

 Shaw, v. pi. 169. 



Gen. 6. ALUTERES, Cuv. Balistes, Lin. 

 Body elongated, covered with crowded, scarcely perceptible 

 granules ; a single spine at the first dorsal fin ; pelvis not 

 projecting; eight teeth in each jaw, in a single row. 



A. monoceros, Cuv. Body cinereous, spotted irregularly with brown. 

 1 foot long. Inhabits Asiatic and American seas. Bosc* Nouv. 

 Diet. iii. 208. 



A. Icevis, Cuv. Body elongated, pale yellowish brown, marked on 

 the fore part with four or five longitudinal blue stripes reaching to 

 the middle of the body, and behind by transverse bands of the 

 same colour. 12 inches long. Indian seas Bloch, pi. 414. 



Gen. 7. TRIACANTHTJS, Cuv. Balistes, Bloch. 

 Ventral fins composed of a single large spinous ray ; first dor- 



