SEBASTES MADERENSIS. 179 



genera Scorpeena and Sebastes on tlie naked, or obvionsly scaled head, 

 and in placing in the latter gcnns MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes^ 

 iScorptena Madurcnsis {Madcircnsis), I have merely followed out these 

 authors' general rule of practice in other cases. 



If, however, in Seb. Maderensis the aspect, width, and armour of the 

 head, projecting eyes, and the more copious lacinise, remind one of 

 Scorpeena Scrofa, L., there are other characters, besides the scaly head, 

 which indicate as great a tendency at least towards the typical Sebasto'. 

 Such are the small size and disposition of the scales, their presence on 

 the hinder portions of the dorsal and anal fins, the form, and the single 

 large deflexed spine or tooth at the lower angle of the first suborbitary, 

 which is otherwise entire, plain, and without the radiating ribs, ending on 

 the fore-edge in two diverging pairs of spines, of the Scorptrna Scrof'a, 

 L. ; and, lastly, in its strongly gibbous back. The humeral spine is even 

 much larger than in Seb. Kuhlii : and the colours evidently approximate 

 to those of Seb. imperialis. Hence, in subordinate characters alone, the 

 balance of affinity inclines upon the Avhole from Scorpana to Sebastes. 



The general form and proportions of this little fish are rather those of Seh. 

 imjjerialis than of ^S'e*^. Kuhlii : but it is generally more gibbous than the former, 

 close behind the nape ; larger examples being still more strongly so than smaller 

 individuals. In one such of six inches -long, in consequence of the great prominence 

 of the dorsal hump, the length only contained the depth three times : in smaller 

 individuals it approaches near to four times the same quantity. The greatest 

 thickness from the eyes to the nape exceeds half the depth ; and the length of the 

 head again a little exceeds the greatest depth. The diameter of the eyes is gene- 

 rally one fourth that of the length of the head, but in large individuals only one 

 third and a half of the same. Hence the eye is as large as in Seb. imperialis ; 

 whilst in its prominence above the profile it resembles rather the Scorpeena Scrofa. 

 This latter character is not, however, nearly so much developed as in that fish. 

 The space between the eyes is very deep and channelled, but nan-ow ; only 

 equalling in width the semidiameter of the eyes. The edges of the orbits are 

 raised and prominent. 



The head in size and degree of ai-mour most resembles the Sebastes Kuhlii ; 

 whilst in breadth and shortness of the muzzle it is most like the Scorjicena Scrofa. 

 The mouth and gape are enormously wide, and like a frog's. The muzzle 

 is broad, short, and very abrupt or obtuse, equalling in length the eye's diameter ; 

 generally arched and convex rather than having any distinct or decided hump. 



The number and the general disposition of the spines are perfectly according to 

 the usual Scorpsenidal model : but the suborbitary is quite entire and merely 

 notched in the middle, with the lower angle produced downwards into a single dis- 

 tinct large flattened tooth, rather than spine, lying parallel with the border of the 

 maxillary ; and the longitudinal ridge or keel across the cheeks, beneath the eye, 

 is aculeate only towards its hinder end, or behind the eye, wdth three or four 

 well-marked spines behind each other ; the last of these, a very large spine, being 

 the uppennost and strongest of the five usual preopercular spines, which increase 

 in size from the lowest upwards : the lowest being so inconspicuous that I had 

 formerly overlooked it altogether. There is tl^e usual erect spine above the 

 nostrils; the single one over the anterior, and the three together, one behind 



