SCORPALNA DACTYLOPTERA IN SCOTTISH WATERS 205 



It is considered necessary to make these statements, so 

 that the writer may point out that his remarks in " Annals," 

 p. 47, are now of no value, otherwise than as a record of 

 the occurrence of Sebastes viviparus. The chief external 

 difference between Scorpcsna dactyloptera and Sebastes 

 norwegicus is, that the latter has fifteen spinous rays in the 

 first dorsal fin, while the former has but twelve in the same 

 organ. It appears, however, that far too much value is 

 placed upon spines and rays of fins as a specific distinction. 

 Organs that are subject to such variation in number cannot 

 surely be taken into account ; and the species now under 

 notice is no exception to this. The most common number 

 of spines in the first dorsal fin of Scorpcena dactyloptera is, as 

 already stated, twelve. However, on the 1 9th of May last, 

 nineteen examples of this form were brought into Aberdeen, 

 and three of these had each thirteen spines in the first dorsal. 

 Again, on 12th June, twelve more were brought in, one of 

 which possessed thirteen spines in its first dorsal. And 

 further, the writer is in possession of an example of Scorpcena 

 dactyloptera, in which the rays of the second dorsal fin stand 

 clear of the connecting membrane for nearly half their 

 length ; and the line is so exactly drawn that it does not 

 seem to be the result of accident. These things considered, 

 he repeats that fin -ray numbers cannot have much value 

 placed upon them as a specific distinction. 1 



As some excuse for the error into which the writer has 

 fallen, it may be pointed out that the names Sebastes and 

 Scorpcena have been so mixed up together, and applied to 

 Sebastes norwegicus, that he for some time believed these 

 names were synonymous, and that there was no real 

 Scorpcena dactyloptera. In speaking of the latter form, 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes say that "this species is so much 

 like Sebastes norwegicus in appearance that it is necessary to 

 place the two species side by side: to distinguish them." It 

 may be further pointed out that this Scorpcena dactyloptera 

 has gone under the name of Sebastes dactylopterus (Gunther, 



1 [Scot •■ . though much resembling 



each other in general appearance, are tly distinct species belonging t.> 



equally distinct genei , The characters by which they are denned are well 

 marked, and not by any means confined to the spine and ray formula <>f the doi 

 I'm. — Eds.] 



