OF AUSTRALIA. 
55 
Nota.— Dr. Gunther (Oatal. vol. viii., p. 24G) says, that in 
If on. ffippocrepis, some specimens, either young or females, 
have the caudal spine directed backwards, these spines being 
directed forwards in other specimens. This seems very doubtful, 
but if it is confirmed, it would probably be the case with many 
other sorts. 
The fish I here describe could perhaps, in that case, belong 
to ffippocrepis j but ib seems to differ considerably from it, 
not only in colour, but by its rounded caudal and its dorsal 
spine, which has a posterior line of barbs, and three or four 
anterior lines on each side of small spinous tubercules. 
MONACANTHUS BAUDOT. 
Dorsal spine with four series of barbs, the front series much 
smaller and closer than the hinder one ; body covered with 
indistinct scales having a lozenge form, and bearing each 
three or four spinlets ; the muzzle is very long, and its upper 
profile is straight. The distance from the anterior part of the 
mouth to the orbit being only contained four times in the 
total length. The teeth are very large ; the upper ones 
eonical, and the lower ones strongly and obliquely emarginated 
and forming a strong external point. The ventral spine is 
very small, and seems to be anchylosed in the pelvic bone ; its 
spinlets are very short. The dorsal spine is situated over the 
posterior half of the orbit ; it is slender and almost straight ; 
it is contained six times in the total length ; its entire surface 
is irregular— the ray is very short— the dorsal fin is high, and 
formed of thirty-five rays. The caudal is rounded, of eight 
rays ; the anal has the form of the dorsal, and has thirty-one 
rays ; the pectorals are formed of thirteen ; there are no 
spines on the tail in the two specimens I have seen ; one was 
obtained on the coast of Victoria and the other at Hobart 
Town j the first is rather larger than the other, and has ten 
and a half inches in length. I have named this sort in honor 
of Captain Baudin, whose expedition has done so much 
for the geography and zoology of Australia. This fish 
seems to have considerable resemblance with M. Trachylepis 
of Dr. Gunther. 
E 2 
