112 SCORP.ENID.E. 



sistance to the finger when drawn in a contrary direction, they are nearly smooth 

 at the edges. 



The lateral line, commencing at the hinder strong scapulary spine, descends a 

 little at first, and then continues straight and even to its end. It is composed of 

 twenty-four scales, each marked by a raised line or tube, and alternating pretty 

 regularly with the ordinary scales ; of which there are consequently about forty- 

 five rows between the edge of the opercle and the base of the caudal fin. 



The whole head and body of this fish are furnished with numerous fleshy, or 

 rather skinny, pinnatifid, or jagged and toothed laciniae. The largest or most con- 

 spicuous of these are upon the head, and along the lateral line : but others are dis- 

 persed elsewhere. There is a pair of large ones in front of the muzzle ; another 

 rising from the inner and upper or hinder edge of each fore-nostril, at the outer base 

 of its spine ; and another overhanging the maxillary at the lower spine of the 

 anterior suborbitary. A row of five or six short ones fringes the eyeball above, 

 growing on the cornea itself; and a larger one originates from each of the three 

 superorbital spines, which it nearly conceals ; the middle one being frequently enor- 

 mously developed, especially in young fishes. A broad one also grows from the base 

 of each of the five preopercular spines, which it also nearly hides. The lower jaw is 

 also copiously fringed. Almost every one of the scales, which mark the lateral 

 line, is provided with a large one : and, besides these more distinct pedunculate 

 lacinia?, a number of much shorter sessile, simple or entire skinny triangle-shaped 

 flaps or points project from underneath the scales, especially upon the flanks. 

 Behind the tip of each spine of the dorsal fin, except perhaps the last, there is a 

 small lacinia, like a short pennon : but those of the anal spines are very obsolete. 

 All these laciniiie are compressed or flattened, thin and membranous ; and the 

 larger ragged ones float loosely in the water. They are proportionally more con- 

 spicuous and larger in younger individuals of middle size than in adult full-sized 

 fishes : but their size and copiousness are ahvays characteristic, and give a very pe- 

 culiar aspect to the fish, increasing the grotesqueness of its general appearance. 



The colour of the whole fish varies from a full vermilion or cherry-red, to a more 

 or less deep scarlet ; pale pm'e rosy towards the throat, breast, and belly ; the 

 head and cheeks marbled, mottled, or variegated, like tortoiseshell, with dusky, 

 and with brighter scarlet or orange on a pale rosy ground ; the under jaw clear 

 spotted on a rosy-white ground ; the body for the most part plain, and always 

 without distinct dark blotches, bands, or spots : but specked or freckled, rather 

 than spotted or mottled, with bright orange, yellow, white, pale red or rosy, and a 

 little brown or dusky on a red or scarlet ground. The soft part of the dorsal, the 

 pectoral, and the caudal fins, are marked, however, with, numerous distinct atro- 

 sanguineous, or dark-brown spots, chiefly arranged along the rays like bars : and 

 on the web between the seventh and ninth spines of the dorsal fin, are generally 

 two more or less conspicuous, large blackish or olive-dusky confluent spots or 

 patches, characteristic of the species : though often one, as in the example figured, 

 and sometimes both of these spots cannot be discerned. The anal, ventral, 

 and lower portion of the caudal fins are generally immaculate or plain. The 

 spinose fore-part of the dorsal fin is marbled wdth orange and scarlet, flecked wqth 

 brown and paler clouds, and the spines are mottled or almost barred with brown. 

 All the fins are more or less varied with yellowish or white. The iris is brilliant 

 red and golden yellow. The inside of the mouth is pale. 



Two states or varieties, depending chiefly upon age or size, may be 

 distinguished of tins fish, and are, in fact, admitted by the Madeiran 

 fisherman : but they run so much into each other in respect to sex, 

 locality, and season, as well as characters, that it had scarcely been do- 



