WEST AFRICA 23 



third spines much longer than the remainder, but sometimes only the second or only 

 the third elongate; longest spines if to 2| in length of head. Anal III 5. Pectoral with 

 16 or 17 rays, the lower ones a little thickened and free from membrane at their tips; 

 fin extending to a little beyond vent. Pale brownish, the upper parts of the sides 

 spotted with darker brown, the spots sometimes tending to form irregular longitudinal 

 rows ; dorsal and sometimes the caudal fin spotted with brown ; other fins nearly uniform. 



Hab. Coast of Portugal ; Madeira ; Canaries ; Azores ; etc. 



In the British Museum 10 specimens, 210-320 mm. in total length. 



Sebastes {Sebastichthys) bibroni, Sauvage,^ described from a single specimen 208 mm. 

 in total length from Sicily, seems to belong to this genus. Dr W. H. Longley has 

 kindly examined the type in the Paris Museum for me, and reports that the pectoral 

 rays (18) are all simple and that there are 13 gill-rakers (including rudiments) on the 

 lower part of the anterior arch, the longest being more than \ the diameter of the eye. 

 The length of the first dorsal spine is 13 mm., the second 36 mm., the third 34 mm., 

 and the fourth 25 mm. It is possible that this species will prove to be identical with 

 Ponthms kuhli, to which it is obviously very closely related, but I have hesitated to 

 unite the two forms, especially in view of the fact that P. kuhli has not been recorded 

 from the Mediterranean. 



Pontinus accraensis, sp.n. 



Closely related to P. kuhli. Depth of body about 3 in the length, length of head a 

 little more than 2. Snout very little longer than eye, diameter of which is about 4 in 

 length of head and 2| times the interorbital width. The spines above the anterior 

 angles of the orbits are directed upwards and outwards instead of posteriorly; the 

 second praeopercular spine is considerably stronger, this being generally very in- 

 conspicuous in P. kuhli, and the fourth has three points. 12 gill-rakers on lower part 

 of anterior arch. 3 series of scales between last soft-ray of dorsal and lateral line, 6 or 7 

 on cheek below suborbital ridge. Dorsal XII 9; only the second spine elongated, 

 length 2f in that of head. Anal III 5. Pectoral with 17 rays. The dark spots on the 

 upper part of the body are more distinct, and there is a row of spots along the lateral 

 line ; the caudal as well as the soft dorsal fin is ornamented with small dark spots. 



Hab. Accra, Gold Coast. 



Only the holotype known, a specimen 215 mm. in total length collected and pre- 

 sented to the British Museum by Dr F. R. Irvine in 1930. 



Genus Helicolenus, Goode and Bean 

 1895, Ocean. Ichth., p. 248. Type Scorpaena dactyloptera, Delaroche. 

 There appear to be four species of this genus in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, 

 one of which {H. maderensis) occurs only off the American coast, and another at the 

 Cape. The other two may be distinguished as follows : 



I. Diameter of eye af to 4 in head (in specimens of 145 to 230 mm.); only one or two pairs 

 of spines on occipital region; body uniformly coloured or with irregular dark markings on 



upper parts of sides dactylopterm. 



1 1878, Nouv. Arch. Mus. H.N. Paris (2) i, p. 116, pi. i, fig. 3. 



