70 Zoological Society. 



third spine is the longest, and is to the length of the head as 1 to 3^% 

 hut it is shorter than the first three soft rays. The pectoral fin is 

 hroad and long, reaching back to the commencement of the anal fin, 

 its length being to the total length as 1 to 3f . The first two and 

 the last five rays are simple, the others branched. The tenth, 

 eleventh, and twelfth rays are the longest, and the last rays are the 

 shortest. None of them project beyond the membrane. The ventral 

 fins are placed together under the roots of the pectoral fins ; they are 

 pointed, and extend over rather more than half the distance between 

 their roots and the commencement of the anal fin. The spine is stout ; 

 the two first soft rays longer than the others. The caudal fin is 

 truncate, and is scaly only at the base. The vent is far back, being 

 under the base of the twelfth dorsal spine. 



The scales are very small, and cycloid, offering no roughtiess to the 

 finger when drawn from tail to head. The broad and scaleless lateral 

 line descends gently from the shoulder to the tail, where it is straight; 

 its membrane has thirty divisions, but the rows of scales that abut 

 upon it are about eighty-six in number. 



The csecal stomach was found to be of moderate length, and there 

 were only two pyloric caeca. The intestine was long, having one 

 convolution. No air-bladder was observed. Its colour was a uniform 

 pinky red, minutely dotted with black. 



In consequence of the anterior part of the dorsal fin having been 

 injured, the comparative length of the spines could not be ascertained. 

 The number of the branchiostegal rays on one side is six, on the 

 other seven. 



From Sehastes dactylopterus, S. Kuhlii, and S. maderensis, the 

 only three Madeiran species of that genus hitherto known, it is well 

 distinguished by the flatness of the head between the eyes, by the 

 absence of prominent spines from the vertex, by the third (not the 

 second) anal spine being the longest, by the broad membranous lateral 

 line, and by the cycloid scales. From the first-named species it is 

 further distinguished by the soft rays of the dorsal fin being nine in 

 number, in place of twelve ; and from the two latter species by the 

 black pharynx. With Sehastes filifer, Val. (Ich. Can. p. 21, pi. 2. 

 fig. 2), this fish agrees in having scales with simple borders ; but it 

 differs (in addition to the characters by which the genus Setarches 

 is separated from the genus Sebastes) in the number of the rays of 

 the pectoral fin (22 in place of 1 6), in having, not all, but only the 

 two first and the last five rays of that fin simple, in possessing five 

 in place of four preopercular spines, and in the smaller scales (86 

 in place of 62 along the lateral line). 



Dedicated to my friend Dr. A. Giinther, the well-known ichthyo- 

 logist, to whom I am indebted for much valuable instruction. 



The following are the dimensions in inches of the principal parts 

 of the specimen, which is now in the British Museum : — 



Total length 9 



Height 2i 



Length of head 3^q 



of second preopercular spine ^ 



Diameter of eye ^ 



