o f L in n æ u s ; a n d C u v ie r in th e ‘R è g n e A n im a l ’ h a s in a d v e r te
n t ly r e ta in e d th e sp e c ific n am e o f p a p i l lo sm fo r th e P o r t
J a c k s o n fish , th o u g h h e s e p a r a te s i t from th e sp e c ie s d e s
c r ib e d b y L in næ u s , w h ic h h e c o n s id e r s to b e th e sam e with
th e B . m onoc e ros o f L a c e p è d e , i. p p . 8 3 6 , 8 8 6 , p i. 17,
fig. 3 . I n th is , th e r a y s a re a s fo llow s : D . 1 1— 4 8 ; A 51 •
C . 1 2 ; P . 15.
S ir J am e s R o s s ’s sp e c im e n o f g r a n u la tu s h a s su ffe red
c o n s id e r a b le in ju ry from m a c e r a tio n in d e te r io ra te d sp ir it,
a u d p e rh a p s som e o f th e d a rk p a tc h e s r e p r e s e n te d in th e
fig u re a r is e from th is , a n d m a y n o t e x i s t in th e r e c e n t
fish , ’^ l e p ro file ris e s to th e d o rs a l s p in e a t an an g le o f
3 0 , w ith a s lig h t c o n c a v ity b e h in d th e lip s , g iv in g a
som ew h a t b e a k e d a p p e a r a n c e to th e fish. T h e sp a c e b e tw
e e n th e d o rs a ls h a s a h o r iz o n ta l o r s lig h tly c o n c av e p ro file
, a n d th e s lo p e s o n w h ich th e s e c o n d d o rs a l a n d a n a l
a re im p o s e d a re s lig h tly c o n v e x a n d s im ila r to e a c h o th e r.
h e n th e p e lv ic b o n e is e x te n d e d fo rw a rd to th e u tm o s t,
th e d ew la p h a s a c o n ic a l b a g - lik e form, a n d th e h e ig h t o f
th e b o d y , from its a p e x to th e d o rs a l lin e , is b u t l ittle le s s
th a n h a l f th e to ta l le n g th , w h ile th e h e ig h t a t th e a n u s is
ju s t e q u a l to a th i rd o f t h a t le n g th , c a u d a l in c lu d e d . T h e
d o rs a l s p in e s ta n d s ov e r th e p o s te r io r tliird o f th e e y e a n d
th e g ill-o p e n in g , a n d its l e n g th is e q u a l n e a r ly to h a l f th e
e x tr em e h e ig h t o f ü ie b o d y a n d d ew lap. I t is ro u n d ish
in f ro n t, fin e ly g ra n u la te d , a n d a rm e d b y tw o row s o f
s h o r t d e p re s s e d te e th . B e h in d , i t i s a rm e d b y two row s o f
s tro n g e r a c u te r e c u rv e d s pm o u s te e th , with th e in te rv a l b e tw
e e n th e row s fla t a n d fu rrow e d . T h e tr ig g e r r a y in its
a x i l l a i s s h o r t a n d b lu n tis h . T h e s e c o n d d o rs a l c om m en c e s
r a th e r b e fo re th e an u s . T h e p o in t o f th e p e lv ic b o n e is a
sm a ll k n o b , s tu d d e d w ith twe lv e o r fo u rte e n sp in o u s p o in ts
d iv e rg in g in a ll d ire c tio n s T h e r e a re n o r a y s in th e
d ew la p b e h in d it.
T h e w h o le sk in i s s tu d d e d w ith s p in e s , e n v e lo p e d in soft
in te g um e n t, a n d lo o k in g to th e n a k e d e y e lik e tu b e r c le s o r
p a p illæ , w h ic h a r e fu lly b e t te r r e p r e s e n te d in W h ite ’s figure
th a n in o u rs. W i th a c om m o n le n s , h oweve r, a n d e v e n w h en
e x am in e d with a g o o d l ig h t b y th e n a k e d ey e , e a c h little
tu b e rc le is s e e n to c o n ta in a s p in e s h a p e d a s r e p r e s e n te d
in fig. 2 , th e a n g u la r s h o u ld e r b e in g a s sh a rp a s a la n c e t.
O n th e ed g e o f th e d ew la p th e sp in e s a re s u b u la te , a n d n o t
la r g e r th a n th e o th e r s , b u t th e y m ig h t b e m is ta k e n a s sh ow n
in _ o u r fig u re for p o in ts o f ra y s . T h e sk in b e tw e e n th e
sp in e s h a s a b lu is h g r a y c o lo u r a fte r m a c e r a tio n in sp irits .
T h e d a rk m a rk in g s e x is tin g in th e sp e c im e n m a y b e b e s t
l e a r n t b y c o n s u ltin g th e figure . T h e r e is a f a in t a p p e a r a
n c e o f b a r s o n th e c a u d a l. L e n g th , 7 4 in c h e s .
H ab. P o r t J a c k so n .
p ro f ile , a n d a lso in th e s te lla te p o in t o f th e p e lv ic b o n e ,
n o r d o e s i t d iffe r m u c h in th e n um b e r s o f th e ra y s , w h ich
a r e r e c k o n e d b y M r. N e ill a s follow s: D . 1 |— 2 8 ; A .2 6 ; C.
1 2 ; P . 12. I t i s t in te d o f a m o u n ta in -g r e e n co lo u r, w ith th e
to p o f th e h e a d d a rk e r , a n d th e c a u d a l a lm o s t b la c k ish
g re e n , e sp e c ia lly n e a r i t s e x tr em ity , b u t n o s p o ts a re in d ic
a te d n o r is th e ro u g h n e s s o f th e in te g um e n t sh ow n , y e t I
am in c lin e d to a ttr ib u te th e a b s e n c e o f th e s e , m e re ly
to w a n t o f fin ish in th e d raw in g , a n d to c o n s id e r th e
T a b a d iic k o f K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d a s th e sam e s p e c ie s w ith
M o n a c a n th u s g r a n u la tu s o f S id n e y Cove .
T h e B a g B a lis te s o f L a th am m ay b e in te n d e d for th is
s p e c ie s , b u t i t is to o ru d e ly d raw n fo r id e n tific a tio n .
I t d ifle rs , a lso , in two s h o r t r a y s fo llow in g th e d o r s a l sp in e .
Monacanthus chinensis. O sb e c k , [B a lis te s ).
R vdii:— D . 1 |— 8 2 ; A. 3 0 ; C. 1 2 ; P . 13.
Balistes chinensis, Oslienk, Voy. i, p. 177, E n g . t r . ; B l. 152. fig. I ;
Scliu. p. 468 ; M o n . megalnrns, llicliaraso n , Ico n . Pise. p. 6 , pi. 1, fig.3 ;
Ico n . Reeves, 89 ; Havdw. Ca rtil. 31, e ta b In d ia , 28 ? Richardson, Ich th .
o f C h in a, R ep o rt to B. Ass. in 1846, p. 201. Chinese name, H ih ve yang,
“ Black-skinned g o a t,'’ (B ir c h ) ; “ Black-skinned sheep,” (R e e v e ^ ; H a k
yeang, (Brid g em . Chrestomathy, 60).
P la te X L ., fig. 3 , n a tu r a l s i z e ; 4 m ag n ified .
A c h a r a c te r is tic fig u re o f th is s p e c ie s is g iv en b y B lo c h ,
a n d i t is w e ll d e s c r ib e d b y S c h n e id e r, b u t we have
th o u g h t i t d e s ira b le to fig u re S ir J am e s R o s s ’s sp e c im e n ,
th a t n a tu r a lis ts m a y b e e n a b le d to ju d g e o f th e id e n tity o f
th e A u s tr a lia n a n d C h in e s e fish , a n d a lso to h a v e a n o p p o r tu
n ity o f c o ir e c tin g a n e rro r, th a t I fe ll in to , in d e s c r ib in g
L ie u t e n a n t E m e ry ’s d r aw in g s o f A u s tr a lia n fish , w h e n I
n am e d th is M o n a c a n th u s a s a n ew sp e c ie s . T h e p ro p o r tio n s
a re n o t e x a c tly k e p t in th e d raw in g , a n d th e c a u d a l fin is
m u c h e x a g g e r a te d in s iz e , h u t th e g e n e ra l p ro file le av e s
l ittle d o u b t o f L ie u te n a n t E m e ry ’s h a v in g h a d a sp e c im e n
o f M . c h in e n s is b e fo re h im . T h e p ro file o f th e f a c e in
c h in e n s is is co n c av e , g iv in g a m o re b e a k e d fo rm to
th e m u z z le th a n in g r a n u la tu s , a n d th e d o rs a l liu e in c lin e s
u pw a rd s to th e c om m e n c em e n t o f th e se c o n d d o rs a l, wh ich
is th e h ig h e s t p o in t o f th e b a c k , from w'hence i t d e s c en d s
in a s lo p e to th e ta il. T h e a s c e n d in g slo p e to w h ich th e
a n a l is a tta c h e d h a s a c o rre sp o n d in g fo rm a n d in c lin a tio n .
T h e d ew la p is th in , w ith a m em b ra n o u s e d g e , w h ic h is
s u p p o r te d b y fin e r a y s , m o s tly s im p le , b u t o c c a s io n a lly
fo rk ed . T h e tip s o f m a n y o f th e s e r a y s p r o j e c t b e y o n d
th e m a rg in o f th e m em b ra n e , w h ic h h a s a ro u n d e d o u tlin e .
A t th e e x tr em ity o f th e p e lv ic b o n e th e r e is a c y lin d ric a l
p ro c e s s , r ib b e d a n d gi-anula ted on th e su rfa c e , a n d a rm e d
a t e a c h e n d b y a b o u t four sm a ll, a c u te s p in e s . T h e m em b
r a n e o f th e d ew la p d e s c e n d s b e y o n d th is p ro c e s s . T h e
h e ig h t from th e firs t d o rs a l to th e low e s t p a r t o f th e dewla
p is c o n ta in e d o n c e a n d a h a l f in th e to ta l le n g th o f th e
fish . T h e d o rs a l sp in e s ta n d s o v e r th e p o s te r io r h a l f o f th e
o rb it, a n d is r ib b e d a n d g r a n u la te d o r h is p id in fro n t, a n d
ai-med o n e a c h s id e b e h in d , b y a row o f s tro n g sp in e s . T h e
sm a ll trig g e r r a y d o e s n o t r is e ab o v e th e m a rg in o f th e a x illa
ry p i t o f th e sp in e . T h i s p i t is sm a ll, a n d b e c om in g
o b so le te in th e d r ie d sp e c im e n , o r b e in g fille d b y m em b
r a n e in th e w e t o n e , i t s e x is te n c e is d en ie d b y S c h n e id e r.
T h e low e r e n d o f th e g ill-o p e n in g is ev en w ith th e u p p e r
e d g e o f th e b a s e o f th e p e c to r a l. T h e sk in is th ic k ly s tu d d
e d b y a c u te sp in e s , w h ich cu rv e b a c kw a rd s a n d sp rin g
from a sw e llin g b a s e . T h e c u rv e d a n d flex u o s e la te r a l
lin e is m a rk e d b y a se rie s o f g em in a te sp in e s , a s n o tic e d b y
S c h n e id e r. T h e r e a re s ix a n d som e tim e s m o re la rg e r
sp in e s d isp o s e d in tw o row s o n e a c h s id e o f th e t a il, w h ich
is a lso s tu d d e d with sm a ll ones.
M r E m e ry ’s d raw in g is c o lo u re d c h e s tn u t-b row n , w ith
d a rk e r b lo tc h e s o f um b e r a n d m in u te s p e c k s o f o ra n g e -
brown. T h e d ew lap is su r ro u n d e d b y th r e e row s o f flax -
flowcr b lu e d o ts , b e h in d w h ic h a re th r e e row s o f b row n
sn o ts T h e d o rs a l a n d a n a l h a v e tw o o r a n g e -c o lo u re d
strip e s n e a r th e ir e d g e s , tw o rows o f p a le d o ts b e n e a th th em ,
an d th re e rows o f b row n sp o ts tow a rd s th e b a s e s o f th e
fins On th e c a u d a l th e re a re th r e e b lu e s tr ip e s a c ro s s th e
end o f th e fin, a n d fo u r o r five b row n s p o tte d b a n d s b e twe
en th em a n d th e b a s e . I n M r. R e e v e s s fig u re of th e
C h in e se fish, th e co lo u rs a u d a rra n g em e n t o f th e sp o ts a re
simila r, th o u g h n o t q u ite th e sam e , a n d th e re is a d iffe ren
c e in th e r in g s o f c o lo u r o n th e c a u d a l. T h e ex trem e
edge o f th is tin is y e llow , th e n fo llow tw o b row m sh -b la c k
b a n d s , n e x t two o ra n g e -b row n o n e s , th e n two b la c k one s,
su c c e e d e d ag a in b y tw o b row n o n e s , a n d la s tly two b la c k
o ne s w h ich a re o u th e b a s e o f th e fin. T h e sp o ts o n th e
d o rsa l a n d a n a l a re o n ly p a r tia lly sh ow n .
H a b . A u s tra lia n s e a s , P o r t J a c k s o n , H o u tm a n s A b ro lh
o s , C h in e s e S e a , C a n to n , I n d ia n O c e an .
M o n a c a n t h u s r u d is . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i D . 2 |— 35 ; A. 3 4 ; C . 12 ; P . 14.
M. rudis, Richardson, Z ool. Tr. iii. p. 166, An. 1841. Zo o l. Proceed.
March 10th, 1840.
P la te X L ., fig. 7, h a l f th e n a tu r a l s i z e ; 6 , m ag n ified .
I n d e s c rib in g th is M o n a c a n th tis in th e Z o o lo g ic a l T r a n sa
c tio n s , I rem a rk e d i t s a g re em e n t in g e n e ra l a s p e c t with
G. F o rs te r’s figure o f B a lis te s scabe r, p r e s e rv e d in th e
B a n k s ia n L ib r a ry , b u t I w a s d e te r r e d from r e fe rrin g i t to
th a t sp e c ie s , b e c a u s e th e fig u re showed som e sp in o u s s e rra
tu re s b e h in d th e p e lv ic b o n e o n th e ed g e o f th e a b d om e n ,
w h ic h do n o t e x i s t in th e sp e c im e n o f r u d is , b u t now th a t
I have h a d a n o p p o r tu n ity o f e x am in in g a g re a te r n um b e r
o f A u s tra lian M o n a c a n th i ,! fe e l m o re in c lin e d th a n be fore
to c o n s id e r r u d is a n d scabe r a s o n e sp e c ie s . F o r s te r ’s d e s
c rip tio n is u n fo rtu n a te ly m o s tly c o n fin e d to g en e ric c h a ra
c te rs , a n d giv e s l ittle a s s is ta n c e iu c le av in g u p th e m a tte
r . T h e o n ly p o in ts o f d is c r e p a n c y th a t I c a n d e te c t, a re
h is s ta tin g s c a ie ? 'to b e “ b e a k e d ,” w h ic h r u d i s c a n s c a rc e ly
b e s a id to b e , a n d h is d e s c r ib in g th e b r a n c h ia l o p e n in g as
ve ry sm a ll a n d s itu a te d a b o v e th e p e c to ra l fin, w h e r e a s in
r u d is th e in fe rio r e n d o f th e a p e r tu r e d e s c e n d s low e r in
fro n t o f th e b a s e o f th e fiu th a n in m o s t o f th e A u s tra lia n
M o n a c a n th i w h ich w e h a v e se en . I t o u g h t to b e s ta te d in
re g a rd to th is , th a t in fig u re s 1 a n d 3 o f P la te 40, th e a r ti
s t h a s b ro u g h t th e g ill-o p e n in g s fu r th e r do^vn th a n th e y
a c tu a lly a re in th e sp e c im en s . T h e d iffe ren c e s I h a v e in d
ic a te d are too s lig h t to fo rm g ro u n d s fo r th e e s ta b lis h m
e n t o f a s e c o n d sp e c ie s , b u t th e evil o f a su p e rflu o u s
n am e h a v in g b e e n a lre a d y p e rp e tt'a le d , I h a v e a llow e d it
to rem a in a tta c h e d to a fig u re o f th e V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d
M o n a c a n th u s u n t i l sp e c im e n s from Q u e e n C h a rlo tte ’s
S o u n d , N ew Z e a la n d , o f F o r s te r ’s fish, sh a ll p la c e th e
n e c e s s ity o f m e rg in g r u d is in th e p r io r a p p e lla tio n o f
scabe r b ey o n d a d o u b t.
I n r u d is , th e p ro file o f th e fa c e i s s tr a ig h t o r v e ry s lig h tly
c o n v e x . I t r e a c h e s i t s sum m it a t th e d o rs a l s p in e , from
w h e n c e th e b a c k is h o r iz o n ta l to th e s e c o n d d o rs a l, a n d
th e n d e s c e n d s o b liq u e ly to th e ta il. T h e h e ig h t me a .sured
from th e p o in t o f th e p e lv ic b o n e is c o n ta in e d tw ic e a n d a
h a l f in tlie to ta l le n g th , a n d th e th ic k n e s s is e q u a l to o n e -
th ird o f th e h e ig h t. T h e d o r s a l sp in e s ta n d s ov e r th e p o s te
r io r h a l f o f th e e y e a n d ab o v e th e g ill-o p e n in g . I t is
ro u n d e d , ta p e r in g , a n d a c u te , w ith a g roove b e h in d , ori
e a c h e d g e o f w h ich th e r e is a row o f .spinous te e th in c lin e d
d ownwa rds ; its s id e s a re th ic k ly s tu d d e d with m in u te
ro u n d e d tu b e r c le s , a n d o n th e f ro n t a re tw o rows o f la rg e r ,
sm o o th tu b e r c le s r e s em b lin g sp in e s w o rn down. T h e t r ig g
e r r a y is ve ry s h o r t a n d in c o n sp ic u o u s . T h e p o in t o f th e
p e lv ic b o n e is a sm a ll k n o b s tu d d e d w ith o b tu s e g ra in s ; tb e
in te g um e n ts o f th e b e lly b e h in d i t , a re la x en o u g h to a llow o f
a little p la y , b u t th e r e is n o th in d ew la p s u p p o r te d b y ra y s
a s in 3 1. c h in e n s is . T h e r a y s o f a ll th e fin s a re ro u g h a t
th e b a s e , b u t le s s so in th e p e c to r a ls th a n in th e o th e rs .
T h e w h o le o f th e in te g um e n t is s tu d d e d w ith s h o r t o b tu
s e b r is tle s (fig. 8 ), w h ich , w h e n e x am in e d b y a le n s , a p p e a r
to b e ra n g e d on th e s id e s in sh o r t, o b liq u e row.s, five o r s ix
in a row o r s c a le , w ith a few s o lita ry o n e s between.^ I n some
p la c e s th e s e g ro u p s a re m o re e a s ily m a d e o u t, ow in g to th e
in te rv a ls b e in g w id e r ; b u t ro u n d tb e e y e , th e g ill-o p em n g s ,
a n d o u th e h e a d g e n e ra lly , th e b risU e s a re sh o r te r , m o re o b tu
s e , a n d e ith e r so lita ry , o r so c lo s e ly s e t, th a t th e ir d is tn -
b u tio n in s e p a r a te g ro u p s o r s c a le s c a n n o t b e d is c e rn e d .
T o th e n a k e d e y e , th e sk in a p p e a r s to b e fin e ly gi-a-
n u la te d . ,
T h e u p p e r jaw is a rm e d b y t e n b ro a d c h is e l- s h a p e d te e th ,
m o re o r le s s a c um in a te d , a n d th e p o s te r io r o n e o n e a ch
s id e h a v in g a th in ro u n d e d ed g e w h ic h o v e rla p s th e low e r
to o th o p p o s e d to it. O n th e u n d e r ja w th e te e th h av e
c r e s c e n tic c u ttin g ed g e s, a n d a re s ix in n um b e r . T h e c e n tr
a l p a ir , b o th a b o v e a n d be low, c o n v e rg e a t th e ir tip s .
F o r s te r m e n tio n s th a t s ca b e r h a s e ig h t te e th m e a c h jaw ,
a n d h e en um e ra te s th e fin ra y s a s follows, D .2 ]— 3 4 ; A. 3 4 ;
C. 1 2 ; P . 12. (F o rs te r’s D e s c r ip t. An. p . 152).
W e h a v e n o c e r ta in in fo rm a tio n r e s p e c tin g th e co lo u rs
o f r u d is , w h en r e c e n t.
L e n g th o f th e sp e c im e n , 10 in c h e s ; h e ig h t a t th e p e lv is ,
4-4 in c h e s ; v e r te b ræ , 18.
H a b . P o r t A rth u r, V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d .
S o la n d e r d e s c rib e s a N ew Z e a la n d M o n a c a n th u s ^ follow
s. “ B a l is t e s s c a b r o s u s , c in e r e u s p in n a d o r sa li p o s te
r io r i, p e c to ra lib u s e t a n a li lu te is im m a c u la tis ; p in n a
c a u d a li c in e r e â i n m ed io e v ir e s c e n te J ia v e s c e n ti. P in n a
d o r sa lis a n tic a 2 - r a d ia ta , c in e r e a j ra d io p o s tic o m in u to .
A p e r tu r a b ra n c h ia rum , p a l lid é violác ea. L a b iu m su p e -
r iu s g r is eo -p lum b e um . P e n t iu m m a .v illa r um a p ic e s f u s -
cce H a b i ta t in oceano A u s tr a liæ p r o p e M o iu a r o [Novoe
Z e la n d ia ) ." S o la n d e r M S S . p . 36. I t is n o te d a s th e
sam e w ith B a lis te s u n ic o r n u to tu s e c in e r eo p liim b e u s ,s itb -
iits p a llid io r su b -J la v ica n s. H a b i ta t in oceano p ro p e C a p
K id n a p p e r s .” S o la n d e r, M S S ., p . 9. T h e s e co lo u rs a ^ e e
with th o s e o f F o r s te r ’s B . sca b e r a s fa r a s h e h a s d e s c r ib e d
th em . T h e r e a re n o p a r tic u la r s o f form r e c o rd e d , b y
w h ic h we c a n id e n tify S o la n d e r’s fish with M . r u d is .