The Rev. R. T. Lowe uii the Fishes of Madeira. \).l 



Fam. CORYPH.ENID.E. 



Asteroderma coryphanoides (Boii.) ; Astrodermus coryphanoides, 

 Cuv. et ^'al. IX. 353. t. '270. — Diana semilunata, Risso, Hist. iii. 

 267./. 14. 



A single small example only has occurred. 



Fam. Labridje. 



Ctenolabrus iris, Cuv. et Val. XIII. 236. Rariss. 

 A most elegant and well-marked little species. 



Juiiis UNiMACULATA. — '^ Peixc vcrde." — J. elliptico-oblonga, gra- 

 ciliuscula : corpore aurato-viridi, lateribus medio fascia longitu- 

 dinali obscura : squamis magnis, litura rifa pcrpendicidate notatis : 

 cajnte rosaceo-rufo, strigis fasciisve flexuosis cosrideis picto : 

 pinna dorsi.li medio unimaciduta analique basi squamatis : ojjer- 

 culo postice biangulato : cauda lunata, lobis abbreviatis. 



D. 8 + 13; A. 3+11; P. 2 + 13; V. 1+5; C. ^^'g + yj . 



Var. a. tceniata : corpore 5-6-fasciato : fasciis angustis viridibus, im- 



maculatis. ^"ulgatiss. 

 Var. (3. lineolafa -. corpore efasciato, toto lituris rufis creberrimi.? ad 



perpendiculiim ductis jequaliter picto. Vulg. 



Blended apparently by Valenciennes (Hist. XIII. 377.) with the 

 blue-collared f turcica, Risso, under the name of /. pavo ; as for- 

 merly by me considered merely a variety of /. turcica. Long-con- 

 tinued observations have, however, established its claim to rank as a 

 species, whicli is composed of two varieties, precisely corresponding 

 with the two of which the true /. turcica consists. 



Fam. Gadid.e. 



Merlucius ambiguus. — " Morc^go do mar." 



Having only obtained a single individual, I forbear attempting a 

 specific character of this little Hake, which, in the production into a 

 filament of tlie second ray of the ventral fins and grooved nape, re- 

 sembles a Motella ; wanting, on the other hand, the beards, and 

 having no trace of any fin within the nuchal groove. From Mer- 

 lucius Maraldi, Risso, Hist. iii. 220. it differs in the colouring ; and 

 though the upper jaw closes over the under, it scarcely can be called 

 "longer." In Risso's fish the nape is grooved {sillonnee), but he 

 says nothing of any peculiarity about the ventral fins. 



The Aladeiran Hake, or " Pescada," Merlucius vulgaris of mj 

 Synopsis, p. 1S9, proves, upon better acquaintance, distinct from the 

 common British Hake, M. vulgaris, Cuv., Yarr., &c. {Gadus Merluc- 

 cius, L.). Instead of being even, the dorsal and anal fins are each 

 produced at their hinder end into a rounded lobe ; the jaws are 

 nearly equal in length ; the teeth are large and numerous ; the scales 

 small. I do not name it, for I believe it has already been called by 

 Mr. Swainson M. sinuatus ; and I am doubtful whether it may not 

 also be the M. esculentus of Risso, iii. 220, though in his synonyms 



