Fishes taken at Madeira. 239 



left side being longer. They are inserted below the middle of 

 the height. The first ray is very short. The left ventral fin 

 commences much before the right fin, whilst it extends quite as 

 far back. They are inserted in front of the pectoral fins, and 

 are both short. The anal fin commences immediately behind 

 the vent, gradually decreases in height backwards, and termi- 

 nates opposite the end of the dorsal. The caudal fin is pointed, 

 and is about as long as the longer pectoral. 



The scales are rather large, and have their free edges pecti- 

 nate. The lateral line forms an arch over the root of the pectoral 

 fin, and is then straight along the middle of the body to the 

 base of the caudal fin. Its scales are about 62 in number ; the 

 scales in the height are about 33, the number above being equal 

 to the number below the lateral line at the middle of the fish. 



This rare fish, of which only one example has occurred (taken 

 in the month of February, is easily distinguished from the much 

 commoner Rhombus maderensis, Lowe, by its elongate sole-like 

 form, the approximate eyes, the produced rays at the fore end of 

 the dorsal fin, and the absence of pale annular markings on the 

 coloured side of the body. 



izkches* 



Total length 5^^- 



Height, nearly 2 



Head 1^ 



Eyes, greater axis ^^ 



Dorsal, length of 2nd and 3rd rays 1 



Pectorals, length of left fin ^ 



„ distance from snout 1^ 



Ventrals, length of left fin A^ 



Caudal, length i| 



„ width of base ^ 



Order ACANTHOPTERYGII, Cuv. 



Fam. Triglida. 



Scorpcejia ustulata, Lowe, = /Sc. scro/fl, Linn. 



There lately came into my hands three specimens of a Scor- 

 peena which seem to prove that the fishes from which Mr. Lowe 

 sketched a new species, that of Sc. ustulata (Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 1840, p. 36, and Trans. Zool. Soc. iii. p. 2), were merely young 

 specimens of Sc. scrofa, a common fish at ISIadeira. As it is of 

 much importance that all false species should be expunged from 

 our books, I will state the facts that have led me to conclude 

 that Sc. ustulata falls into this category. 



All three specimens have the occipital depression which Dr. 

 Giinther has pointed out as specially distinguishing the artificial 



