FAMILY TRIGLID^E SCORP^ENA. 59 



THE SPOTTED SEA SCORPION. 



ScOBPjENA bufo. 



PLATE LXX. FIG. 227. 



Rascacio. Parra, Descripcion de diferentes, &c. p. 34, pi. 18, fig. 1. 

 Scorpama bufo. Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poiss. Vol. 4, p. 306. 

 The Sea Toad, S. bufo. Richardson, Faun. Bor. Fishes, p. 300. 



Characteristics. Base of the pectorals beneath black, sprinkled with round milk-white spots. 

 Length seven inches. 



Description. From thirty to thirty-three spines on the head and shoulders, viz. one on the 

 nasal bone ; five on the elevated margin of the orbit ; three in a row extending backwards 

 from the orbital ridge to the nape ; five in a row parallel to the above, commencing close to 

 the orbit, passing over the temples, and ending on the shoulders, (the posterior part of this 

 row is doubled, adding two spines more ;) four divergent ones on the anterior suborbital ; 

 three on the ridge of the second suborbital, traversing the cheek obliquely ; six on the preo- 

 percle ; and two on the opercle, the last tips the humeral bone immediately above the pectoral. 

 Bands of teeth narrow on the jaws, vomer and palatines. Velvet teeth on the pharyngeals. 

 Nasal spine more or less denticulated. 



Color. Brown, marbled with rosaceous and violet. The dorsal, between its sixth and 

 seventh rays, has a large black spot. 



Length, 7*0. 



Fin rays, D. 12.9; P. 19 or 20; V. 1.5; A. 3.5; C. 13 f. 



This species has been observed from the Caribbean sea to Newfoundland, and of course 

 will be detected on our coast. I have not met with it, and have extracted the above from the 

 descriptions of Cuvier and Richardson. The figure, although indifferent, is the only one I 

 had access to, and is copied from Parra. 



