M o n a c a n t h u s v i t t a t u s . S o la n d e r , [B a lis te s ).
R a d i i : — D . 2 |— 3 2 ; A. 31 ; C . 12 ; P . 1 3 ; V . 1 |.
(So lan d e r).
C h . S pec. M . c u te ie n u is s im è s ca b rá , c a p ite longo obtuso,
o c u lis s u p r a p in n a s p e c to r is ; s p in d d o r s i tra n s v e r s im
a n c ip i t i , la te r ib u s r e tr o r s um a c u le a tis ; p in n i s d o r s i
a n iq u e a n tic è a c u m in a t i s i corpore q u a d r iv itta to , v ittis
a lb e s c en tib u s .
Balistes vittatus, Solander, Pisces Novte Ho llan d iai, M S S., p. 1 ;
Icon. 4 8 , Fish o f K in g George’s Sound, drawn by Dept. Assist. Comm.
G en . Neill, in Mu s. Brit.
V a r io u s A u s tra lia n B a lis tid c e w e re n am e d b y S o la n d e r,
F o r s te r , a n d o th e r s , b u t ow in g to th e d e s c r ip tio n s th e y
h a v e le f t b e in g c o n fin e d to c o lo u r o r to th e g en e ric
c h a r a c te r s , th e d e te rm in a tio n o f th e s p e c ie s th e y a llu d e to
is d ifficu lt. T h e fig u re s w e h a v e g iv en in th e p r e s e n t fa sc ic
u lu s w ill fa c ilita te th is ta s k to fu tu re ic h th y o lo g is ts , a n d
a s a fu r th e r a s s is ta n c e , we s u b jo in S o la n d e r ’s a c c o u n t o f a
w e ll-m a rk e d sp e c ie s , w h ic h is s k e tc h e d in M r. N e ill’s
b o o k .
“ C o rp u s o va to -la n c e o la lum , com p r e s sum , c u te te n u is -
s im è r e tr o r s um s ca b rd te c tum . T o tu s p i s c i s p a l l id è c in e r
e u s , v i t l i s q u a tu o r a lb e s c e n tib u s : duce in fim a obsole ta.
C a p iit lo n g iu s q u am i n p lu r im i s , o b tu sum , la te r e e t i n f
e r n é so rd id e lu te sc en s. A n u s v a ld è m a g n u s . O c u li s u p
r a p in n a s p e c to ra le s . I r i s a lb a . P u p illa n ig r a . C a r in a
a b d om in is a d u n u m c iuc ia, ra d io u n ic o s c a b r iu s c u lo te rm in
a ta . P in n a d o r sa lis p r im a e ra d io u n ic o m a g n o tr a n s v
e r s im a n c ip i t i, la te r ib u s r e tr o r s um a c u le a tis , se sq u iu n -
c ia l i [in p is c e 18 u n c ia r um ) lu teo e t a lte ro m in u to albido,
v i x n i s i o cu lis a tie n tio r ib ìts p e r c e p tib ili. P in n a d o r sa lis
p o s te r io r lu te a , p o n e m e d itim , a n t ic è a ltio r . P in n c e p e c to
ra le s lutea:, p arvee o b liq u è ovata:, s u r s um s e u á n g u lo s u p
e r io r i p a r ù m a c um in a to . P in n c e v e n tra le s e c a r in d
d e s c r ip td a b d om in e v i x c o lo ra tio r . P in n a a n a lis lu tea ,
s im i li s p in n c e d o r sa li s e c u n d d . P in n a c a u d a lis a b a s i e x -
t r a m e d ium c in e r e a , a p ic e lu te s c e n s , t r u n c a ta , r a d i i
e x t im i c c e te ìis p a u lò longiores. Os p a r v u m . D e n te s v a l
id i a c u ti."
“ V i t ta p r im a p r o p e d o r sum ; s e cu n d a a b o c u lis a d
in i t i u m caudcB p a u lò s u p r a m e d ium ; te r t ia a p in n i s p e c to
r a lib u s in f r a m e d ium a d f i n e m caudce d u c t a ; q u a r ta
obsoleta in a b d om in e ." (S o lan d e r, 1. c.).
M r. N e ill’s d raw in g e x h ib its th e p ro file o f th e fish a s a
p r e tty re g u la r e llip s e , o f w h ic h th e v e r tic a l d iam e te r is c o n ta
in e d th r ic e a n d a h a l f in th e to ta l le n g th . T h e an te rio r
a p e x is fo rm e d b y th e low e r j a w a n d is a c u te , a n d th e
le n g th o f th e h e a d to th e p e c to r a l, e q u a ls th e g r e a te s t h e ig h t
o f th e b o d y . T h e d o rs a l s p in e is s h o r te r th a n o n e - th ird o f
th e h e ig h t. T h e th i rd w h ite b a n d is th e b ro a d e s t a n d
b r ig h te s t, a n d th e fo u rth , ag re e a b le to th e d e s c r ip tio n , i s lo s t
in th e p a le t in t o f th e b e lly .
H a b . K in g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d , ra re . (N e ill). I n s in u— i
Novce HoUandice, A p r il i s 28í/¿, 1770, (S o lan d e r).
A l e u t e r iu s pa r a g a u d a t u s . R ic h a rd s o n .
R a d i i B. 6 ; D . 2 |— 8 0 a d 34 ; A. 28 a d 32 ; C. 12 ;
P . 10 a d 12.
Aleuterius paragaudatus, Richardsou, Zo o l. Proceed. M a rch 10th,
1840. Zo o l. Tran s, iii. p. 172.
P la t e X X X IX ., fig. 1 , n a tu r a l s iz e ; 2— 4, mag n ified .
T h is g a ily o rn am e n te d A le u te r iu s is com m o n in th e h a r b
o u r s o f V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d a n d th e s o u th e rn c o a s ts o f
N ew S o u th W a le s u p to P o r t J a c k so u . I t s fo rm is
e llip tic -o b lo n g , th e g r e a te s t h e ig h t o f th e b o d y b e in g c o n ta
in e d th r ic e a n d o n e - th ird in th e to ta l l e n g t h ; a n d
th e th ic k n e s s b e in g a fo u rth o f th e h e ig h t. T h e m o u th
tu rn s o b liq u e ly u pw a rd s , a s is u s u a l in th e g e n u s , th e ch in
b e in g m o re p rom in e n t th a n th e u p p e r j a w . T h o c u ttin g
ed g e s o f th e te e th a re ev en , n o t lu n a te d . T h e d o rs a l sp in e
s ta n d s ov e r th e h in d e r th ird o f th e o rb it a n d th e g ill-o p e n in
g ; a n d w h en d e p r e s s e d , is re c e iv e d c om p le te ly in to th e
f a rrow b e h in d it , w h ic h r e a c h e s o n ly h a l f w ay to th e
s e c o n d d o rs a l. I t is fo u r - s id e d , ta p e r in g , a n d a c u te , and
i s a rm e d b y a c u te te e th o n e a c h an g le . F ig u r e 2 is a n e n la
rg e d f ro n t view o f th e sp in e ; 3 a p o s te r io r view’ ; a n d 4
a la te r a l o n e . T h e wh o le b o d y is d e n s e ly c o v e re d w ith
ve ry sh o rt, a c u te b r is tle s , s p rin g in g from g lo b u la r b a s e s .
T h e y a re in v is ib le to th e n a k e d ey e , a n d fe e l ro u g h on ly
w’h e n th e fin g e r is draw n fo rw a rd s. T h e o r ig in a l tin ts o f
c o lo u r h a v e b e e n e ffa c ed b y lo n g m a c e ra tio n o f th e s p e c im
e n s in sp irits , b u t th e fo llow in g m a rk in g s rem a in . T h e
g e n e r a l h u e is o liv e -b row n , b e c om in g s ilv e ry tow’a rd s th e
b e lly . A b la c k s tre a k ru n s from th e e y e a lo n g th e s id e o f
th e n o s e a n d e n c ir c le s th e m o u th . A p a le s tr ip e c om m
e n c e s fu r th e r b a c k o n th e low e r jaw , a n d a s c e n d in g to
th e low e r th i rd o f tb e o rb it, is c o n tin u e d from b e h in d th e
e y e to th e m id d le o f th e flan k w h e re it te rm in a te s . I t h a s
a b lu ish s ilv e ry h u e in s p ir its , a n d is e d g e d a b o v e a n d b e low
with b la c k . A s im ila r s tr ip e r is e s c lo se to th e p r e c
e d in g o n e o n th e c h in , a n d ru n n in g b a c kw a rd s u n d e r th e
e d g e o f th e p e c to ra l e n d s in a row o f sp o ts. Ab o v e it , is a
b ro a d e r s trip e , r e ta in in g a y e llow ish tin g e wh ich m a y be
tr a c e d ov e r th e p e c to r a l a n d som e way a lo n g th e flank.
T h e s e s tr ip e s va ry s lig h tly in th e ir c o u rs e in d iffe re n t sp e c
im en s. R o u n d g r e y ish -b lu c , o r p e a r ly sp o ts o rn am e n t a ll
th e b o d y b e low th e in fe rio r s tr ip e , a lso th e ta i l a s fa r forw
a rd a s th e m id d le o f th e d o rs a l a n d th e s id e o f th e b a c k
to th e f ro n t o f th a t fin. T h e s e sp o ts a re e lo n g a te d in to
s h o r t b a rs a lo n g th e p e lv ic b o n e . I n som e sp e c im en s
th e r e a re a few sp o ts in th e sp a c e , wh ich is d e s titu te
o f th em in th e sp e c im e n w h ic h is figured. A d a rk b a r
c ro s s e s th e c a u d a l n e a r its e n d , a n d th e r e a re som e darlc
b lo tc h e s o n th e b a c k u n d e r th e s e c o n d d o rs a l. T h e s e s p e c
im e n s va ry in le n g th from 5 to 6 in c h e s . V e rte b ræ 20.
H a b . P o r t A rth u r, V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d . P o r t J a c k so n ,
A u s tra lia .
A l e u t e r iu s m a c u l o su s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i— D . 21— 30 a d 3 4 ; A. 2 9 a d 3 2 ; C . 1 2 ;
P . 10 a d 12.
AUutei-ius macidosus, Richardson, Zool, Proceed., Ma rch 10th, 1840.
Zool. Tran s, iii. p. 170.
P la te X X IX ., fig. 5, n a tu r a l s iz e ; 6 , 7 , m ag n ified .
T h is A le u te r iu s h a s a h ig h e r b o d y th a n p a r a g a u d a tu s ,
an d its fa c e is s lig h tly co n c a v e in p ro file , n o t fla tly ai-ched.
T h e g re a te s t h e ig h t is n e a r ly a th i rd o f th e to ta l le n g th .
T h e d o rs a l sp in e is s im ila rly p la c e d to th a t o f p a r a g a u d a -
iu s , b u t is p ro p o rtio n a lly ta lle r , a n d is som ew h a t c u rv e d a t
its b a s e . I t h a s , in lik e m a n n e r, fo u r a n g le s w h ich are
a rm ed b y ro u g h e r s tro n g e r te e th . F ig u r e 6 is a la te r a l
view o f th e sp in e , a n d 7 a f ro n t v iew , w h ich d o e s n o t diffe r
from th e p o s te r io r o n e . T h e d e rm a l b r is tle s r e s em b le th o s e
o f p a ra g a u d a tu s , a n d w h e n e x am in e d th ro u g h a le n s , th e
in te g um e n t be tw e en th em is se e n to b e fin e ly sp o tte d .
T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r o f th e sp e c im e n s in sp ir its is olive-
brown, d en s e ly s p o tte d , a n d c lo u d e d b y d a rk e r tin ts . T h e
u n d e r p a r ts a re m o re silv e ry , a n d th e c a u d a l fin is c ro s s ed
b y a b a r n e a r its en d . L e n g th , 4 o r 5 in c h e s .
H a b . H a rb o u r s o f V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d a n d N ew S o u th
Wa le s.
D ep . A ssist. C om m is s a ry G e n e ra l N e ill h a s d raw n a
K in g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d A le u te r iu s , wh ich we a re in c lin e d to
c o n s id e r a s th e sam e w ith m a c u lo su s , th o u g h , a s o c c u rs in
some o th e rs o f h is sk e tc h e s , th e p e c u lia r m o ttlin g o f
th e b o d y is om itte d . I t is n um b e r 15 o f h is c o lle c tio n , a n d
is n am ed “ C an d iey ” b y th e A b o rig in e s , some o f th em c a llin
g i t also “ T a b a d u c k ,” w h ic h se em s to b e a g en e ric a p p e lla
tion. H e s ay s th a t i t in h a b its d e e p w a te r , w h e r e th e b o ttom
is ro ck y , a n d is g o o d to ea t.
A l e u t e r iu s v a r ia b il is . R ic h a rd s o n .
R a d i i :— D . 2 |— 3 5 ; A. 3 3 ; P . 1 3 ; V. 0 ; C . 1 2 ,ro u n d e d .
(Spe c . B r . Mus.)
Icon. 31, Neill’s drawings o f K in g George’s Sound Fishes in Brit.
Mus. (unpublished). N ative name, Tabaduck.
P la te L I I I ., figs. 1, 2 a n d 5 , n a tu r a l s i z e ; 3, 4, 6 , 7,
mag n ified .
Mr. N e ill inform s u s th a t th is fish is v e ry com m o n in
de ep w a te r on th e ro c k y c o a s ts o f K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d ,
a n d is m u c h e s te em e d b y th e A b o rig in e s a s a n a r tic le o f
food. L ik e th e A le u te re s , i t is in fe s te d b y Iso p o d a , und
M r. N e ill s ta te s th a t th e fi.sh, w h ich a re suHe ring from th e
a tta c k s o f th a t c ru s ta c e a n , a re b r ig h t y e llow o n th e low e r
p a rts , w h ile th e oth e rs a re o f a b e a u tifu l p u rp le c o lo u r. T h e
sp e c im en fig u re d b y M r. N e ill h a s th e yellow c o lo u r, a n d a
la rg e I so p o d e h a s b u r row e d in th e s id e o f th e b e lly n e a r
th e vent.
T h e to p o f th e b a c k , th e do rsa l, a n d a n a l fin s a rc m o u n -
tam -g re en , th e sid e s a n d b e lly a re b r ig h t g am b o g e -y e llow .
T h e re a re e ig h t o r n in e flax -flow e r s tre a k s o n th e low e r lip
a n d c h in , o n e o f th em e n c ir c lin g th e m u z z le b e h in d th e
l i p s ; a lso five o r s ix o f th e s am e t in t o n e a c h s id e o f th e
pe lv ic b o n e , th e th r e e low e s t o f w h ic h u n ite o n th e m e s ia l
lin e w ith th e c o r r e s p o n d in g s tr e a k s o f th e o p p o s ite sid e .
A b lu e s tr ip e ru n s b e n e a th th e b a s e o f th e s e c o n d d o rs a l,
a n d a n o th e r e x te n d s from th e a n u s to th e c a u d a l, ru n n in g
n e a r th e a n a l. T h e b a s e s o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re a lso
m a rk e d b y a row o f b lu e sp o ts. T h e r a y s o f th e c a u d a l a re
y e llow ish , a n d th e m em b ra n e b e tw e e n th em is s trip e d
w ith b lu e . T h e fin is c ro s s e d b y tw o b la c k b a r s , o n e
o n th e b a s e o f th e r a y s , a n d th e o th e r w h ic h is b ro a d e r n e a r
th e ir ex trem itie s .
T h e sp e c im e n is n in e in c h e s lo n g , in c lu d in g th e c a u d a l
fin, a n d its h e ig h t a t th e p o in t o f th e p e lv is e x c e e d s a th ird
o f th e le n g th . I t s p ro file is a n irre g u la r e llip s e , o b tu s e
b e fo re a n d m o re ta p e r in g b e h in d , w ith th e v e n tr a l cu rv e
m o re p rom in e n t th a n th e d o rs a l one. T h e m o u th is tu rn e d
a l i t t le u pw a rd s , a n d th e lip s p ro je c t som ew h a t, b u t th e
s n o u t h a s n o t a b e a k e d form. T h e fa c ia l lin e ris e s w ith a
s lig h t c o n v e x ity a t a n an g le o f 40° to th e d o r s a l sp in e , w h ic h
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 r b i t : from th e n c e to
tb e s e c o n d d o rs a l, th e o u tlin e o f th e b a c k is h o riz o n ia l.
T h e e y e , p la c e d h ig h o u th e ch e ek , is th r e e d iam e te rs a n d
a h a l f o f th e o rb it d i s ta n t from th e e d g e o f th e u p p e r lip ;
a n d th e o b liq u e g ill-o p e n in g c om m e n c in g a d iam e te r o f th e
o rb it low e r d ow n , a n d e x a c tly b e n e a th its h in d e r ed g e d e s
c e n d s to o p p o s ite th e m id d le o f th e jie c to ra l, its le n g tli
b e in g e q u a l to a d iam e te r a n d a h a l f o f th e o rb it. T h e
sk in is s tu d d e d e v e ry w h e re w ith sh o r t, r e c u rv e d su b u la te
b r is tle s , a n d w h en e x am in e d th ro u g h a le n s , i t a p p e a r s to b e
d iv id e d in to n a r row rh om b o id a l c om p a r tm e n ts o r sc a le s ,
e a c h o f th em a rm e d b y , from o ne to fo u r b r is tle s u n ite d to
o n e a n o th e r a t th e b a s e (fig. 4). O n lo o k in g a t th e in te rio
r s u rfa c e o f th e sk in , th e s c a le s h av e th e o rd in a ry tile d
a p p e a r a n c e r e p r e s e n te d in figure 5 . T h e p o in t o f th e pe lv ic
b o n e is a sm a ll, c o n v ex k n o b s c a r c e ly r is in g ab o v e th e
lev e l o f th e s u r ro u n d in g sk in , g r a n u la te d on th e d isk ; ancl
a rm e d b y a c irc le o f in c um b e n t sp in e s , (fig. 7, m agnified).
T h e s ide o f th e ta il is a rm e d b y four sh o r t, la n c e o la te
sp in e s , d isp o s e d in two row s , a n d ro u n d th e ir b a s e s th e fine
b r is tle s o f th e in te g um e n t a re a l ittle lo n g e r a n d m o re s le n d
e r th a n e ls ew h e re . T h e d o rs a l s p in e is eq u a l in h e ig h t to
th e sp a c e b e tw e e n its b a s e a n d th e u p p e r an g le o f th e g ill-
o p e n in g . I t is c o n v e x a n d g r a n u la te d in fro n t with two
rows o f b lu n t in c um b e n t te e th , wh ich be com e p u n g e n t a t
th e tip o n ly o f th e ray. P o s te rio rly Uie d o rs a l sp in e is fla t,
a n d fu rrow e d with a row o f stro n g , a c u te , re v e rte d sp in o u s
te e lh o n e a ch ed g e . T h e tr ig g e r ra y is m in u te . T h e in te
rv a l b e tw e e n th e f irs t a n d se c o n d d o rs a l fin s is g re a te r
th a n th e le n g th o f th e d o rs a l spine - T h e r a y s o f th e d o r sa
l, a n a l, ancl p e c to r a ls a re c om p re s s e d in o n e d ir e c tio n a t
th e b a s e , a n d in au o tlio r tow a rd s th e ir tip s . T h e y a rc ro u g h
o u th e low e r th ird o f llic ir h e ig h t, b u t n o t q u ite down to
iheiv b a s e s , w h ich a re sm o o th . T h e c a u d a l ra y s a rc ro u g h
to n e a r th e ir lip s . T h e m a rk in g s o f th e d r ie d sp e c im en a re
sh ow n in th e fig u re a n d a re b la c k , th o u g h m a n y o f th e co r-
re sp o iu liiig lin e s iu M r. N e ill’s d raw in g a re lig h t blu e . T h e
d a rk c o lo u r is m o re in te n s e iu th e S])inos th a n in th e s u b j
a c e n t sk in o f th e ))arl.
H ab. K iu g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d .