FISHES. ACANTHOPTEKYGII. 



put, and cheeks; preoperculum with three or four spines, 

 and the operculum with two, prolonged in ridges. 



The genus Scorpaena of Linnaeus, including fishes with tuberculated or spinous 

 naked heads with cirri, of a singular and often frightful appearance, has been subdi- 

 vided by Cuvier and others into more distinctly characterized groups. The genus 

 Scorpaena of Linnaeus may therefore be considered as the type of a family in 

 which these characters are variously combined. Their jaws are much cleft; teeth 

 small and crowded ; and the pectoral fins very large, embracing a part of the throat. 



S. porous, Lin. Head of large size, with cirri under the eyes and 

 along the lateral line ; body dusky,, variegated with black above,, 

 pale beneath, with a reddish tinge ; dorsal fin with very strong 

 spinous rays ; scales small, rough. 12 to 15 inches long. Inha- 

 bits European seas. Shaw, iv. 267- 



This species was well known to the ancients, and various accounts of its supposed 

 use in medicine are given by Hippocrates and later writers. It has now, however, 

 lost its reputation ; and itsflesh, which is coriaceous, is only eaten by the poorer people. 

 When taken it erects its dorsal spines, and the wounds inflicted by these were for- 

 merly considered very dangerous. 



S. scrofa, Lin. Body rufous, with brown variegations ; cirri under 

 the eyes and along the lateral line ; soft dentated processes at- 

 tached to the cheeks, to the angles of the jaws, and to the sides ; 

 scales larger than in the preceding. 2 to 4 feet long. Inhabits 

 European seas. -Shaw, iv. pi. 38. 



S. dactyloptera, Laroche. Spines of the head simple, and without 

 cirri or soft dentated appendages. Inhabits European seas. 

 An. du Mus. xiii. pi. 22, fig. 9. 



S. gibbosa, Cuv. Head large, with the spines cleft at their extre- 

 mity into many points; pectoral fins broad ; mouth turned up. In- 

 habits European and American seas. Cuv. Reg. An. ii. 285. 



S. Plumieri, Cuv. Body blackish brown," with feathered cirri on 

 the head and lateral line. American seas Shaw, iv. pi. 40. 



Gen. 62. SYMANCEIA, Schn. Scorpcena, Lin. 



Head covered with unequal tubercles, more or less projecting ; 

 mouth and eyes directed upwards ; no swimming-bladder. 



S. horrida, Cuv. Head large, abrupt in front, and marked by nu- 

 merous tubercles, depressions, and spines ; a semilunar cavity on 

 the top ; body ferruginous brown, deepest above, without scales, 

 and marked by callous tubercles. 12 to 15 inches long. Inha- 

 bits Indian seas. Shaw, iv. pi. 39. 



This singular fish is of a very forbidding appearance, and realizes to the eye all 

 that a vivid imagination could consider as monstrous. The head is very large, 

 abrupt in front, and marked by numerous tubercles, depressions, and spines. On 

 the top is a semilunar cavity ; the mouth opens upwards and resembles a horse shoe ; 

 and the head, body, pectoral, and dorsal fins are strewed with numerous tubercles. 

 All the fins are thick and fleshy, and furnished with strong rays. 



S. didactyla, Cuv. Head depressed and furnished with several ab- 

 rupt depressed cirri ; eyes large, on two protuberances ; body 

 dusky brown, with transverse yellow streaks above, and round- 

 ish spots below ; fins with the rays very long ; two digitated pro- 



