DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 251 



the ba.se of the eleventh dorsal spine. The third anal spine is somewhat stouter and longer 

 than the second; the tip of the anal, when extended, does not toucli the vertical from the 

 end of the base of the soft dorsal. 



The j)ectoral is broad and fan-shaped, the width of its base about equal to the diameter 

 of the orbit, the uppermost of its branched rays the longest, its middle rays about equal in 

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

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

 cisely as in H. daciyJopterus. Caudal simple and truncate. 



Lateral line straighter than in II. dacfyloptertis, but slightly curved in its course from the 

 head to the middle of the caudal peduncle, and twice as far from the anterior portion of the 

 soft dorsal as from that of the spinous portion of the fin. It consists of 29 or 30 scales, 

 each with a little spine-like point, directed toward the 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 disai)pearing after reaching the ventral origin. Fins scarlet, 

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

 ments tijjped with white, and its soft portion, like the front of the ventral and anal fins, 

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

 back part of the mouth lead color, the fi'ont of mouth and tongue whitish. Iris golden, 

 shaded with brown ; pupil violet, opalescent.' 



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 aiitumn, neither 

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

 that like P. dactyloptenis, as observed by Eisso, the spawning time is iu summer. The 

 Madeirans call it the Bwm ne()ra, or Idack mouth, in allusion to its conspicuous black throat, 

 and it is also called Pre' di gato, or " tomcat," a name which refers to the fact that the eyes 

 glisten strongly in the dark. 



The name iSebastcs impcrlalis has no significance. Cuvier and Valenciennes had no 

 specimens except the types of De hi Koche, and renamed it from some whimsical desire to 

 utilize the vulgar name '■'■Scrofanu imperali," which the Sicilians use for some fish which the 

 French ichthyologists supiwsed to be identified with that described from Ivi^a. 



Sp(^cimcns of this species were taken by the Fish Huirl; as follows: Cat. Xo. 2G723, d. 

 S. N. M., from station 897, iu 37° 25' IST. lat., 74^ 18' W. Ion., at a depth of 157* fiithoms; 

 Cat. No. 28954, U. B. N. M., from station 1033, in 30° 56' N. lat., 09° 24' W. Ion., "at a deptJi 

 of 183 fathoms; Cat. No. 28827, U. S. N. M., from station 944, in 40° 01' N. lat, 71° 14' 30" 

 W. Ion., at a depth of 128 fathoms; Cat. No. 28847, IT. S. N. M., from station 950, in 40^ 07' 

 N. lat., 70O 32' W. Ion., at a depth of 71 fathoms; Cat. No. 31058, U. S. N. ]M., from station 

 1109, in 40° 03' N. lat., 70° 38' W. Ion., at a depth of 89 fathoms; Cat. No. 290G0, U. S. N. 

 M., from station 1027, in KP N. lat., 09° 19' W. Ion., at a ilepth of 93 lathoms; Cat. No. 

 28754, U. S. N. M.,irom station 939, in 39° 53' N. lat., 69° 50' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 2G4 

 fathoms; Cat. No. 28957, U. S. N. M., from station 1032, in 39° 50' N. lat., 69° 22' W. Ion., 

 at a depth of 208 fathoms; Cat. No. 2<ir)27, IT. S. N. M., from station 897, in 37° 25' N. lat., 

 740 18' W. Ion., at a depth of 157.1 fathoms; Cat. No. 28998, IT. S. N. M., from station 1043, 

 in 380 30' N. lat., 73° 11' W. Ion., at a depth of 130 fathoms; Cat. No. 31871, U. S. N. 

 M., fr<im station 1152, in 39° .58' N. lat., 70° 35' W. Ion., at a depth of 115 fathoms; Cat. 

 No. 31874, LT. S. N. M., from station 1151, in 39° 58' 30" N. lat., 70^ 37' W. Ion., at a depth 

 of 125 tathoms; Cat. No. 29050, U. S. N. M., from station 1045, in 38° 35' N. lat., 73° 13' W. 

 Ion., at a depth of 312 fathoms; and Cat. No. 28980, U. S. N. M., from station 1038. in 39° 

 58' N. lat., 70^ 00' W. Ion., at a depth of 130 fathoms. 



The Albatross also secured specimens from the following localities: Station 2402, in 28° 

 36' N. lat., 850 .33' 30" W. lou., at a depth of 111 fathoms; from station 2545, iu 40° 01' N. 



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

 imaginable, with the bands deeper, but pure, intense scarlet. The eye was singularly beautiful. The aual 

 tin was broadly edged iu front with white. 



