A l e u t e r i u s ? b r o w n i i . R i c h a r d s o n .
R-ADIi :— D . 2]— 3 3 ; A . 30 ; C. 1 1 ; P . 11.
(B a n e r’s draw in g ).
D u r in g C a p ta in F lin d e r ’s v o y a g e o f d is c o v e ry ro u n d
A u s tra lia , M r. F e rd in a n d B a u e r m ad e h ig h ly fin ish e d c o lo
u r e d d raw in g s o f fisb w h ich a re n ow in th e p o s s e s s io n o f
D r. R o b e r t B row n , a n d w h ic h th is g e n tlem a n h a s k in d ly
p e rm itte d m e r e p e a te d ly to e x am in e . O n e o f th em re p r e s
e n ts a v e ry h a n d som e sp e c ie s , h a v in g e n tire ly th e a s p e c t o f
a e x c e p t th a t th e r e is n o in d ic a tio n o f th e
p ro tru s io n o f th e p o in t o f th e p e lv ic b o n e th ro u g h th e in te
g um e n t. I n M o n a c a n th u s v a r ia b ilis ¿e&CYibed above ,
th e ro u g h p o in t o f th e p e lv ic b o n e m ig h t, b y a le s s c o rre c t
o b s e rv e r th a n M r. B a u e r , h a v e b e e n o v e rlo o k ed , a s b e in g
m e re ly a p a r t o f th e com m o n s c a b ro u s su rfa c e , it is
c o n c e iv a b le th a t th is p o in t m a y b e e ven le s s p e rc e p tib le in
o th e r sp e c ie s , a n d som e d o u b t m u s t th e re fo re e x is t, u n til
th e fish b e ag a in d is c o v e re d , a s to w h e th e r i t o u g h t to b e
c o n s id e r e d a s a M o n a c a n th u s , h a v in g a m in u te tip to th e
p e lv ic b o n e , o r a n A le tiie r iiis , iv ith th e c o a rs e c o a l a n d e x te
rn a l a s p e c t o f a 3 Io n a c a n th u s . T h e sp e c ific n am e is in te
n d e d a s a sm a ll tr ib u t e o f r e s p e c t to th e d is tin g u ish e d
n a tu r a lis t, w h o la id th e fo u n d a tio n o f h is fam e b y h is r e s
e a r c h e s o n th e v o y ag e o n w h ic h th is fish w a s disco v e red .
T h e d raw in g is 1 2 ^ in c h e s lo n g , a n d re p r e s e n ts a n ova l
fish , b lu n t m f ro n t w ith o u t a n y p ro je c tin g sn o u t, a n d
th e h e ig h t c o n ta in e d r a th e r m o re th a n th r ic e in th e to ta l
le n g th , c a u d a l in c lu d e d . T h e in te g um e n ts a re cov e red
w ith la n c e o la te , a p ic u la le sp in e s o r b r is tle s , m ix e d w ith
m u c h m o re m in u te a sp e ritie s r e p r e s e n te d in a m a g n ified
d raw in g o f a p o r tio n o f th e sk in . T h e s id e s o f th e ta il a re
a lso a rm e d b y fo u r lo n g , cu rv e d , c y lin d r ic a l sp in e s , p la c e d
o n e p a i r o v e r th e o th e r. T h e te e th , s im ila r to th o s e o fM ? -
n a c a n th u s , a re m o re c o n ic a l a n d a c u te th a n u s u a l, w ith d e ep
n o tc h e s b e tw e e n th e c u sp s . T h e d o rs a l sp in e is to o th e d
b e h in d a n d b e fo r e ; th e a n te r io r te e th r a n g e d in tw o row s ,
b e in g sh o r te r t h a n th o s e w h ic h a rm th e h in d e r e d g e s o f th e
sp in e . T h e g ill o p e n in g is o b liq u e , a n d is e ig h t- te n th s o f
a n in c h lo n g .
T h e g ro u n d t in t o f th e fish is p is ta c h io , o r s a p -g re e n ,
a n d a z u r e -b lu e d o ts a re s c a tte r e d o v e r th e w h o le b ody.
T h e sp o ts a r e r e p la c e d b y b lu e lin e s o n th e to p o f th e b a c k
a n te r io r ly , ro u n d th e m o u th , b e tw e e n th e p e c to r a ls , o n th e
tem p le s a n d u n d e r p a r t o f th e c h e e k . T h e s c a ly fille ts
a lo n g th e b a s e s o f th e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re b lu e , a n d th e re
is a b lu e lin e n e a r to th e a n a l, p a ra lle l to its b a s e . S ix
s h o r t b lu e b a r s r a d ia te from th e e y e , a n d th e n a s a l r e g io n
is s p o tte d w ith b lu e . T h e s id e o f th e ta il is a b r ig h t s a ffro
n -y e llow , s h a d in g o ff tow a rd s its m id d le in to a ric h
o r a n g e -b row n . T h e fo u r la te r a l sp in e s o f th e ta il a re
p la c e d m th is o ra n g e p a tc h , e a c h h a v in g a g r e e n c irc le
ro u n d i t s b a s e . T h e a n a l a n d d o rs a l fin s a n d th e r a y s o f
th e c a u d a l a re s ap -g re e n . T h e ir is is p ru s s ia n -b lu e ,
e n c ir c le d b y y e llow.
H a b . C o a s ts o f A u s tra lia .
A l e u t e r iu s t r o s su l u s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— D . l I - 2 8 ; A. 2 6 ; C. 1 2 ; P . 11.
P l a t e X L ., fig. 5 , n a tu r a l s iz e ; 6 , m ag n ified .
T h i s fish h a s th e a s p e c t o f a M o n a c a n th u s , b u t i f th e
to ta l c o n c e a lm e n t o f th e p e lv ic b o n e b y th e in te g um e n ts
w ith o u t a n y v e s tig e o f a p ro tru d in g p o in t b e h e ld , w ith
C u v ie r, a s th e e s s e n tia l c h a r a c te r o f A le u te r iu s , i t m u s t be
r a n k e d in th is g en u s .
I t d iffe rs from th e k n ow n s p e c ie s o f A le u te re s in th e
h ig h a n d s h o r t fo rm o f th e b o d y . T h e h ig h e s t p a r t o f th e
p ro file is a t tho c om m e n c em e n t o f th e s e c o n d d o r s a l, from
w h en c e i t d e s c e n d s to th e m o u th , w ith a c u rv a tu re re s em b
lin g th e i t a l i c / r e v e r s e d . T h e a b d om e n h a n g s down like
a d ew la p , b u t it i s fille d to th e low e st p o in t w ith th e in t e s tin
e s , a n d h a s n o th in m em b ra n o u s e d g e , b e in g a s th ic k
b e fo re th e a n u s a s th e b a c k is . T h e h e ig h t from th e se c o n d
d o rs a l to th e p o in t o f th e p e lv ic b o n e is e q u a l to th e le n g th
from th e m o u th to th e ta il. T h e d o rs a l s p in e s ta n d s ov e r
th e m id d le o f th e o rb it, a n d is ro u n d ish , with th e tip s
s c a rc e ly p u n g e n t. I t s h e ig h t is n o t ab o v e o n e -fo u rth o f
th e e x tr em e h e ig h t o f th e h o d y , a n d i t is d e n s e ly cov e red
w ith m in u te g r a in s , w h ich le n g th e n in to v e ry fin e a c ic u la r
b r is tle s n e a r th e m em b ra n e . T h e r e is n o v e s tig e o f a t r ig g
e r r a y to b e d e te c te d e x te rn a lly . B o th th e d o rs a l sp in e
a n d p e lv ic b o n e a re fle x ib le in o u r sp e c im en . T h e g ill-
o p e n in g is e x a c tly ov e r th e b a s e o f th e p e c to r a l. T h e skin
is d e n s e ly co v e red with s le n d e r, fle x ib le , a c u te b ris tle s ,
(fig. 6 ) w h ic h a re so d e lic a te a s to giv e a v e lv e ty fe e l to th e
fin g e r. T h e c o lo u r o f th e s p e c im e n , w h ich h a s b e e n lo n g
in sp irits , is b la c k ish -g r e e n , w ith som e m in u te d a rk e r
sp e c k s a n d d o ts o f a p a le c o lo u r s c a tte r e d o v e r th e b o d y ,
a n d m o s t c row d e d o n th e fa c e a n d flan k s. A lo n g th e p e lv
ic h o n e , a n d n e a r th e b e lly th e d o ts ru n in to s tre a k s . T h e
r a y s o f th e c a u d a l a re a lso sp e c k le d w ith b la c k , th e o th e r
co lo u rs a re effa c ed. L e n g th o f s p e c im en , 2 ^ in c h e s .
H a b . S e a -c o a s ts o f W e s te rn Austra lia .
A l e u t e r iu s ? b a u e r i . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i D . 1 |— 2 6 ve l 2 7 ; A . 2 1 ; C. 9 ; P . 6 vel 7 .
(B au e r’s d raw in g ).
T h i s s p e c ie s is n am e d in h o n o u r o f M r. F e rd in a n d
B a u e r , b e in g fo u n d e d o n o ne o f h is a dm ira b le draw in g s in
D r . B row n ’s p o s s e s s io n . T h e fig u re p r e s e n ts th e c a re ful
e x e c u tio n a n d fe lic ity o f to u c h w h ic h c h a ra c te riz e M r.
B a u e r ’s p e n c il, a n d lo o k in g to h is known s c ru p u lo u s a c c u r
a c y in d e ta ils , i t m a y b e c o n s id e r e d a s th e re p r e s e n ta tio n
o f a g e n e ric form n o t y e t d e s c rib e d , in w h ic h th e c h a ra c te
r s o f s ev e ra l g ro u p s o f P le c to g n a th i a re com b in ed . I t
e x h ib i t s th e u n d iv id e d d e n ta l p la te o f D io d o n , th e in f
la te d b o d y a n d d e rm a l sp in e s o f T e tro d o n , a n d th e fins
o f A le u te r iu s . W e s h a ll n o t v e n tu re u p o n th e fo rm a tio n
o f a new g e n e ric n am e w ith o u t h a v in g se e n a sp e c im e n o f
th e fish, a n d it is th e re fo re p la c e d p ro v is io n a lly in A le u te r
iu s , w ith w h ic h , o u th e whole , i t b e s t agre e s.
T w o m a g n ified v iew s o f th e jaw s a re s k e tc h e d in o u tline
o n a s e p a ra te p ie c e o f p a p e r, in w h ich e a c h jaw is re p
re s e n te d as fo n n in g o n ly o n e p ie c e , a s in D io d o n , b u t th e
c u ttin g ed g e in s te a d o f b e in g ev en o r o n ly s lig h tly c r e n a te d ,
is d e ep ly n o tc h e d , p ro d u c in g c o n ic a l c u sp s r e s em b lin g th o s e
o f th e BalistidcB. T w o ro u n d e d n o tc h e s in th e u p p e r jaw
form o ne m e s ia l cu sp , a n d a n a n g u la r p o in t o n e a c h sid e .
On th e low e r jaw th e re a re th re e c o n ic a l c u sp s , s lig h tly
b lu n te d . T h e ‘b o d y is in f la te d lik e th a t o f o ne o f th e m o s t
d is ten s ib le Te tro d o n te s, a n d th e s n o u t is s h o r t a n d s le n de
r. T h e b e lly is ro u n d e d a n d p rom in e n t, w ith o u t a n y
in d ic a tio n o f a p e lv ic k e e l o r p ro je c tin g p o in t o f th e bo n e .
T h e d o rs a l sp iu e s ta n d s a s is u s u a l in A le u te r iu s ov e r th e
o rb it, a n d h a s th e com m o n tr ia n g u la r s lip o f m em b ra n e b e h
in d it. T h e s e c o n d d o r s a l a u d a n a l fin s a re h ig h e s t a n te
riorly, b u t w ith ro u n d e d sum m its , a n d te rm in a te so a s to
le av e a r a th e r s le n d e r tru n k o f th e ta i l b e tw e e n th em a n d
th e c a u d a l, w h ic h is c o n v e x a t th e en d . T h e b r a n c h ia l
o p e n in g is a little a b o v e th e b a s e o f th e p e c to r a l. A n e n la
rg e d view is g iv en o f th e s p in e s , iv h ic h co v e r th e b o d y
th ick ly , in w h ich th e y a re r e p r e s e n te d a s h a v in g s em i-la n c
eo la te b a s e s w'ith s le n d e r h a ir - lik e tip s , a n d a s b e in g c lo s e ly
tile d on e a ch o th e r in a q u in c u n c ia l m a n n e r. T h e le n g th
o f th e fig u re is 4 in c h e s , a n d th e h e ig h t o f th e b o d y
2| in ch e s .
T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r is em e r a ld - ^ e e n o r b r ig h t g ra ss-
gre en, w h ic h is tra v e rs e d lo n g itu d in a lly b y se v e n in te r ru
p te d d a rk b row n s tr ip e s , tw o o f w h ic h u n ite an te rio rly ;
n in e sh o rt b a r s r a d ia te from a ll s id e s o f th e o rb it, a n d on
th e b e lly a n d flan k s b e n e a th th e low e s t la te r a l s trip e th e re
a re m an y w h ite sp e c k s . T h e r a y s o f th e c a u d a l a re g ra s s -
gre en, s p o tte d in c ro s s row s w ith um b e r -b row n ; th e p e c to r
a ls h av e a n e u tr a l tin t. T h e d o rs a l a n d a n a l a re y e llow ,
w ith th re e row s o f b la c k sp e c k s b e tw e e n th e b a s e s o f th e
ray s , a n d fo u r row s o f p a le sp e c k s d isp o s e d iu p a ir s b e -
Iw’een th e tip s o f th e ray s .
H a b . C o a s t o f A u s tra lia .
S c a r u s a c r o p t il u s . R ic h a rd so n .
R a d i i :— D . 2 4 ; A. 1 3 ; C . 12. (B a u e r’s d raw in g ).
F o r th e kn ow led g e o f th is v e ry h a n d som e fish w e a re in d
e b te d to th e p e n c il o f Mr. B a u e r, n o t h a v in g s e e n a n y
a c c o u n t o f i t in th e ic h th y o lo g ic a l w o rk s we h a v e c o n sulted.
I t differs from o th e r S c a r i, in th e f ir s t th r e e ray s
o f th e d o rs a l b e in g h ig h e r th a n th e r e s t, a n d th e s e c o n d
ra y ta lle r th a n th e o th e r tw o . T h e r a y s o f th e d o rs a l a n d
ana l a re a lso move n um e ro u s th a n in th e o th e r S c a r i, a n d
th e y a re all re p re s e n te d a s ta p e rin g to a p o in t, n o d is tin c tio n
b e in g sh ow n b e tw e e n th e sp in o u s a n d a r tic u la te d ra y s , th e
th ic k n e s s o f th e m em b ran e p ro b a b ly h a v in g p re v e n te d th e
d ifference from b e in g ev id en t. T h e la s t r a y s o f b o th fins
a re d iv id e d to th e b a s e . T h e jaw s h a v e th e u su a l form o f
Scai-tis, w ith a s lig h t, ir r e g u la r c reu a tu v e o n th e ed g e a n d
w ith o u t a n y spm o u s o r tile d te e th .
T h e b o d y h a s a v e ry r e g u la r e llip tic form, its h e ig h t b e in
g co n ta in e d th ric e a n d o n e - lh ird in th e le n g th , c a u d a l
in c lu d e d . T h e u p p e r a n d u n d e r p ro file o f th e h e a d a re a lik e
a n d e n te r r e g u la r ly in to th e cu rv e s o f th e e llip s e , th e h e a d
b e in g m o d e ra te ly b lu n t. T h e g ro u n d c o lo u r o f th e b o d y
is g re e n , w ith tw o row s o f o b lo n g p u rp lis h b la c k b lo tc h e s
fo rm in g in te r ru p te d b a r s o n th e side s. T h e c h e e k is lila c ,
a n d a s tr ip e o f th e s am e h u e , with y e llow a n d b lu e .edge s,
p a s s e s ov e r th e g ill-co v e r. T h r e e a z u r e s tr ip e s c ro ss
th e tem p le s . T h e u n d e r jaw is y e llow , with a b ro a d b la c k
m a rk w h ic h e x te n d s u n d e r tb e g re e n p e c to r a l. T h e d o r sa
l is oran g e -y e llow , tra v e rs e d b y a la k e - r e d s tr ip e w ith
c a rm in e ed g e s , th e e x tr em e e d g e o f th e fin b e in g g r e e n ;
a n o v a l b lu ish b la c k s p o t r e a c h e s from th e th i rd to
tlie s ix lli r a y . T h e v e n tra ls a re y e llow , w ith g re e n rays,
a n d h a v e e a c h a la rg e v io la c eo u s m a rk w ith b lu e e d g e s in
th e c e n tr e . T h e a n a l is g re e n a t th e b a s e , th e n y e llow t r a v
e rs e d b y a r e d s tr ip e a n d m a rk e d b y o b liq u e la k e b a rs
n e a r th e e d g e , w h ic h is y e llow. T h e c a u d a l, w h ic h is even
o r s lig h tly c o n v e x a t th e e n d , h a s a la k e -c o lo u re d m em b
r a n e m a rk e d w ith r e d b a r s o r sp o ts a n d g re e n ray s . T h e
ey e is g re e n , with a b la c k p u p il a n d y e llow iris.
H a b . C o a s ts o f A u s tra lia .
C r e n id e n s t e p h r ® o p s . R ic h a rd s o n .
R a d i i :— B . 6 ; D .1 4 |1 3 ; A. 3 l l l ; C . I S ^ ; P . 1 7 ; V .] |5 .
K ow dany, Aboriginal appellation a t K in g George’s Sound. Ico n .
D rawings of Fisb o f K in g George’s Sound, by D. Assist. Comm. Gen.
Neil), in Br. Mus. No. 10. Draw in g 10^ inches long.
P la te X L I ., fig. 1, h a l f n a tu r a l s iz e ; 2 , m ag n ified .
O n e m em b e r o f th is g e n u s {Cr. tr ig ly p h u s ) , h a s b e e n a lre
a d y d e s c r ib e d a t p a g e 8 6 , a n d r e p re s e n te d o n p la te 35,
fig. 2. T h e s p e c ie s n ow u n d e r co n s id e ra tio n , h a s le s s o f
th e p h y s io g n om y o f C r . fo r s k a l i i , a n d m o re re s em b le s th e
M e la n ic h th y s o f th e ‘ F a u n a J a p ó n ic a ’ (tab. 3 9),* w h ic h d o e s
n o t a p p e a r to m e to b e a d is tin c t g e n e ric form from C r e n idens.
C r. tephrcEops is s ta le d b y M r. N e ill to b e a n in h a b
i ta n t o f ro c k y p la c e s in K in g G e o rg e ’s S o u n d , w h e re i t is
o c c a s io n a lly ta k e n b y th e h o o k . O u r fig u re a n d th e followin
g d e s c rip tio n a re e x e c u te d from a d r ie d sp e c im e n , wh ich
is 11 in c h e s lo n g .
F o rm e llip tic a l, with th e p ro file o f th e fa c e a r c h e d a n d
g ib b o u s b e fo re th e n o s trils . T h e h e a d forms o n e q u a r te r
o f th e le n g th , e x c lu d in g th e c a u d a l, a n d is e q u a l to th re e
d iam e te rs a u d a q u a r te r o f th e ro u n d b o n y o rb it. T h e eye,
p la c e d n e a r th e p ro file , is e q u i-d is ta n t from th e u p p e r lip
a n d lip o f th e g ill-co v e r. T h e n o s trils a re p ie r c e d im m e d
ia te ly b e fo re th e a n te r io r an g le o f th e o rb it. T h e c le ft o f
th e m o n th , w h ic h is m o d e ra te ly w id e tr a n sv e r s e ly a n d
a rc h e d , d o e s n o t r e a c h so fa r b a c k a s th e n o s trils . W h e n
v iew e d in fro n t, th e u p p e r jaw h a s som ew h a t o f a h o r s e sh
o e fo rm , w h ich is im p a r te d to i t b y a fo rw a rd cu rv a tu re
o f th e lim b s o f th e in te rm a x illa r ie s . T h e s e b o n e s a re to le
r a b ly s to u t a n d c o n v e x a t th e sym p h y s is , a n d th e ir tip s
move o n th e o u ts id e o f th e p o s t-m a n d ib u la r s , com p le te ly
* Crenidens melanichthys, Riubai'dson on th e IcLtli. o f th e Seas of
Ch in a ami J a p a n , Rep o rt of B rit. Assoc, for 1845, p. 243.