OF AUSTRALIA. 
8 J 
it is oblong, and surrounded by a series of rather long and 
slender spines. 
In .ill the four specimens I have seen, the tail is only 
covered with spinous papillae like those of the body but finer, 
and these extend to some distance of the bace of the caudal 
fins j the colour is entirely of a light brownish yellow, with 
the extremity of the caudal almost black. 
The largest of my specimens is near four inches and a half 
i:i length. 
Nota .— This sort is very nearly allied to Mon. Granulatm 
(White, Voyage to New South Wales, p. 295, pi. 254 ; Richard., 
Ereb.and Terror, p. 63., pi. 40, fig. 1), and I should certainly have 
thought that it was similar to it if Dr. Gunther had not placed 
this in the division having its dorsal spine with only two 
series of barbs. This author adds that this spine is strong, 
barbed behind, but not in front ; Richardson's figure certainly 
don't seem to represent such a fish, and it is possible that 
Dr. Gunther's sort may be different from his. 
MONACANTHUS VITTIGER. 
Height of body contained twice and two-thirds in the total 
length ; head about three times in the same ; diameter of the 
orbit contained once and two-thirds in the snout. 
Form rather elongate ; the body is covered with minute 
granulations similar to those that have been often compared to 
mushrooms ; they are similar all over the body, and the tail 
has no larger ones. The ventral spine is formed of a little 
bunch of spinules ; the dorsal spine is inserted a little behind 
the centre of the orbit, and a little in front of the insertion 
of the pectorals ; its height is about equal to half the one of 
the body ; it is straight, four-edged, and ended by a small 
filament ; the anterior barbs are strong, directed downwards ; 
the back ones are more feeble, and placed on two series, 
less distant one from the other than the anterior ones ; 
the second dorsal has thirty rays; the anal also; the 
caudal is rather long, of twelve rays ; the pectorals have 
thirteen. 
