DISCUSSION OF KI'KCTKS AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 251 



the base of the eleven! b dorsal spine. The third anal spine is somewhat stouter and Longer 

 than the second) the tip of the anal, when extended, does not touch the vertical from the 

 end of the base of the sofl dorsal. 



The pectoral is broad and fan-shaped, the width of its baseabout equal to the diameter 

 of the orbit, the uppermosl of its branched rays the longest, its middle rays aboui equal in 

 length to the longest of the ventral, which, when extended, pass far beyond the vent, and 

 almost, it' not quite, to the origin of the anal. The rays of the pectoral are arranged pre- 

 cisely as in //. dactylopterm. Caudal simple and truncate. 



Lateral line straighter than in II. daetylopterw, bul slightly curved in its course from the 

 head to the middle of the caudal ped ii mde, and twice as far from the anterior portion of the 

 soft dorsal as from that of the spinous portion of the tin. It consists of L'!) or .'111 scales, 

 each with a little spine like point, directed tow aril t he tail. The scales (as shown by the 

 figure) are larger than in the .Mediterranean form. Color pale scarlet, with darker or 

 brighter broad, irregular, scarlet bands, often subdued with dusky, running down the side 

 from the dorsal origin and disappearing alter reaching the ventral origin. Fins scarlet, 

 immaculate, the spiny part of the dorsal tin being mottled, and having its spines and fila- 

 ments tipped with white, and its soft portion, like, the front of the ventral and anal tins, 

 edged with white. Head bright scarlet, the operculum with a patch of bluish black. The 

 back part of the mouth lead color, the front of mouth and tongue whitish. Iris golden, 

 shaded with brown; pupil violet, opalescent. 1 



This species is taken by the Madeiran fishermen on rocky bottoms and at great depths, 

 with lines 225 to 350 fathoms in length. It is taken chiefly in spring and autumn, neither 

 of which times, according to Lowe, is its breeding season, so that he is inclined to believe 

 that like P. dactylopterus, as observed by Risso, the spawning time is in summer. The 

 Madeirans call it the Boca negra, or black mouth, in allusion to its conspicuous blaek throat, 

 and it is also called Pai <li goto, or "tomcat," a name which refers to the fact that the eyes 

 glisten strongly in the dark. 



The name Sebastes imperialis has no significance. Cuvier and Valenciennes had no 

 specimens except the types of De la Roche, and renamed it from some whimsical desire to 

 utilize the vulgar name •■Scrofaini imperali" which the Sicilians use for some fish which the 

 French ichthyologists supposed to be identified with that described from Ivica. 



Specimens of this species were taken by the Fish lldirl: as follows: Cat. Xo. 26723, U. 

 S. X. M.. from station 897, in 37 25' X. hit.. 71 is' W. Ion., at a depth of 157J fathoms; 

 Cat. No. 28954, V. S. N. M., from station 1083, in 30° 56' X. hit., 69° 24' W. Ion., at a depth 

 of is;; fathoms: Cat. No. 28827, C. S. X. M.,from station '.Ml. in 40 01' X. lat., 71 II 30 

 W. Ion., at a depth of 128 fathoms: Cat. No. 28847, U. S. X. M., from station 950, in 403 07' 

 X. hit.. 70 32' W. Ion., at a depth of 71 fathoms: Cat. X... 31658, U. S. X. M„ from station 

 L109, in 40° 03' X. lat.. 70° 38' W. Ion., at a depth of 89 fathoms; Cat. No. 29060, I '. S. X. 

 M., from station L027, in 40 c X. lat.. 69° 19' W. Ion., at a depth of 93 fathoms; Cat. Xo. 

 28754, I'. S. X. M.,from station 939, in 39° 53' N. lat., 69° 50' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 264 

 fathoms: Cat. Xo. 28957, U. S. X. M., from station 103l', in 39 c 56' X. lat.. 69 22' W. Ion., 

 at a depth of 208 fathoms: Cat. Xo. 26627, U. S. X. M.. from station 897, in 87 25' X. hit.. 

 71 IS' W. Ion., at a depth of 157J fathoms; Cat. No. 28998, U. S. X. M., from station lot;;. 

 in 38° .".'.»' X. lat., 73° 11' W. Ion., at a depth of 180 fathoms; Cat. Xo. 31871, 1*. S. X. 

 M., from station 1152, in 39° 58' X. hit., 70° 3.V W. Ion., at a depth of 115 fathoms: Cat. 

 Xo. 81S74, 17. S. X. M.. from station 1151, in 39° 58' 30" X. lat.. 70° 87' W. Ion., at a depth 

 of 125 fathoms; Oat. No. 29050, O. S. N. M., from station 1045, in 38° 35' N. lat., 73° 13 W. 

 Ion., at a depth of 312 fathoms: and Cat. Xo. 28980, (J. 8. X. M., from station 108s. in 39 

 58' X. hit.. 70° Ofi' YV. Ion., at a depth of 130 fathoms. 



The Albatross also secured specimens from the following localities: Station 2402,in28 c 

 36' N. hit., ^r,o 33' 30'' W. Ion., at a depth of 111 fathoms; from station 2545, in 40° 01' X. 



'Lowe states that in several large examples taken iu August the color was the most brilliant scarlet 

 imaginable, with the kinds deeper, bnt pure, intense scarlet. The eye was singularly beautiful. The anal 



liu was ljiuadlv edged, in front with white. 



