WEST AFRICA 29 



Fisheries Ireland Sci. Invest., 1906, v, p. 26, fig.; Fage, 1918, Rep. Danish Ocean. Exped. 



1908-10, II, A 3, p. 103; Metzelaar, 1919, Trop. Atlant. Vissch., p. 285. 

 Scorpaena barbata, Lacepede, 1802, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iii, p. 259. 

 Scorpaena lutea, Risso, 1810, Ichth. Nice, p. 190; Risso, 1826, H.N. Europ. Merid., iii, p. 371; 



Roule, 1907, t.c, p. XX. 

 Scorpaena scrofa var. obesa, Lowe, i860, t.c, p. 105 ; Goode and Bean, 1895, Ocean. Ichth., p. 245. 

 Scorpaena scrofa var. histrio, Lowe, i860, t.c, p. 106. 



Depth of body 2§ to 3I in the length, length of head 2^- to 2f . Distance from origin 

 of dorsal to anterior edge of occipital pit i\ times to more than twice diameter of eye. 

 Snout pointed, longer than eye, diameter of which is 4I (young) to 6| in length of head 

 and equal to or as much as i^ times interorbital width. No visible scales on head, and 

 comparatively few pores. A somewhat shallow occipital pit. Praeorbital spines strong; 

 two smaller intermediary spines between the principal ones ; 4 well-developed spines on 

 suborbital ridge. Supraorbital tentacle very variable in size, its length from \ to | 

 diameter of eye; sometimes altogether wanting; membranous processes variously 

 developed on chin, praeorbital, edge of praeoperculum, and on other parts of head. 

 Length of band of palatine teeth | to f diameter of eye. 10 to 12 gill-rakers on lower 

 part of anterior arch. Scales ciliated; 4 or 5 series between last soft-ray of dorsal 

 and lateral line; breast naked; usually a number of membranous filaments and pro- 

 cesses on body, especially in the region of the lateral line and on the back. Dorsal 

 XII 9 (occasionally XIII 8); third or fourth (sometimes fifth) spines longest, if to 2| 

 (young) in length of head. Anal III 5 ; second spine subequal to or a little longer than, 

 and stronger than third. Pectoral with 19 or 20 rays, extending to above vent or not 

 as far; base broad, the lowermost ray inserted level with root of pelvic spine and in 

 advance of uppermost. Coloration very variable ; generally reddish brown or yellowish, 

 the head, body and fins marbled and spotted with darker brown; in smaller specimens 

 the markings on the fins tend to form irregular cross-bars; often a large black blotch 

 on hinder part of spinous dorsal fin. 



Hab. Mediterranean and adjacent parts of the Atlantic, ranging southwards to 

 Madeira and beyond, and straying northwards to the British Isles. 



In the British Museum numerous specimens, 140-480 mm. in total length. 



This is a very variable species, particularly in the coloration, the size of the supra- 

 orbital tentacle, and to some extent in the size of the scales. It is possible that the 

 examination of a large series of examples would lead to the recognition of more than 

 one form. As a general rule, specimens from the eastern Mediterranean appear to 

 have the supraorbital tentacle better developed than those from its western end, but in 

 examples from Madeira the size of the tentacle varies considerably. 



Scorpaena canariensis, Sauvage. 



Sebastes [Sebastichthys) canariensis, Sauvage, 1878, Notiv. Arch. Mus. H.N. Paris (2) i, p. 117, 



pi. i, figs. I, 2. 

 Pontinus canariensis, Goode and Bean, 1895, Ocean. Ichth., p. 255. 



Depth of body 3 in the length, length of head 2|. Snout about as long as eye, 



diameter of which is nearly 4 in length of head and i^ times interorbital width. No 



