SCORP.ENA SCROFA. 107 



aKOP'TTiog {S. porais, L.), as by the latter lie undoubtedly denotes the 

 red or rufous kind (Sc. Scrofa^ L.), the Carneiro of Madeira. 



Oppian, in like manner, alludes both to its spines and twofold race : 



SKopnios diKTTjp, 8i8vnov yevos — 'AX. a. 1/1. 



and again to its prolific nature, 



2Kopnios av reTopecra-i (pfpei jSeXos a)StVe(rcri. — Ibid. 591.* 



And its identity with the fish Scorpius, of the Romans, is established 

 by the line from Ovid in the note at the foot of the last page. 



Salviani says that, by the modern Greeks, this fish is called Scorpidi ; 

 and that its common name at Rome was, when he wrote, Scorfano {Scro- ' 

 fano) ; at Marseilles, Scorpena. Rondelet mentions more particularly, 

 that the yellow sort, as he terms it, was called Scorpena at Marseilles ; 

 the black {Sc. porcus, L.), which Salviani says was called at Rome Scro- 

 fanello, Scorpeno. A more usual French, or, at least, Proven^-al name, 

 appears to be Rascasse : though Risso gives that of Capoun, as used at 

 Nice to designate Sc. scrofa, L., applying that of Rascassa to Sc. 

 porcus, L. ; and in this latter point he is confirmed by MM. Cuvier and 

 Valenciennes. It is remarkable that this last named species, which, upon 

 MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes"' authority, exists not only in the Me- 

 diterranean and on the other, side of the Atlantic at New York, but 

 also at TenerifFe, has not at present been detected in Madeira. 



Before describing the Carneiro, which, though very far from being 

 first, either in point of excellence or systematic order, is yet one of 

 the most striking, and the earliest noticed in this work of the fishes 

 usually admitted to the better furnished tables of Madeira, — some ob- 

 servations on the circumstances here affecting the condition of such fishes, 

 gastronomically, may be opportunely introduced. 



Generally speaking, then, the influence of the seasons on the flavour, 

 juiciness, or firmness of Madeiran fishes, is much less than in Britain. 

 This is indeed merely the natural result from the little change -j* com- 

 paratively in the seasons themselves, causing less variation in the tempe- 

 rature of the water and the supply of food. The cause being diminished, 

 the effect, of course, will be decreased proportionally. Hence it is that 

 so many of the fishes in Madeira, e. g. the Cavalla (Mackerel), Chi- 

 charro (Horse Mackerel), Tainha (Grey Mullet), Carneiro, Requeime, 

 Alfonsins, Garoupa, Cherne, Pargo, Goraz, and even Red Mullet vary 

 so little perceptibly in quality throughout the year. 



* And again to its spines, B. 457 — 459. 



+ The late Dr. Heineken, on the accuracy of whose meteorological obsen-ations complete reliance 

 may be placed, gives 84" F. for the maximimi, and 50° for the minimum of four years' observations 

 on the atmospheric temperature of Funchal. See Edin. Journ. Sci, New Series, I. 39. — In Britain 

 the mean annual range is more than twice as great. 



