96 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Soctety. 
space is very narrow, 1s concave, and has two lateral ridges 
on each side. The vertex is armed with prominent spines. 
There are five spines on the preoperculum, the second of 
which is the largest. There are also two spines of small 
size on the operculum. The maxilla reaches to beyond the 
centre of the eye. The specimen, when fresh, was of a 
beautiful golden-red colour, and did not exhibit the lateral 
bands or spots of brown or deep red which characterise the 
adult. Nor does the mandible project beyond the premaxilla, 
though it is distinctly shown to do so in Delaroche’s figure 
of the species. Delaroche, however, remarks that this is 
not a constant character. 
According to other authorities, the adult of this beautiful 
fish is red, tinged with carmine, paler, almost white 
beneath, and banded or spotted with brown or dark red. 
The tongue is described as being free anteriorly. In addition, 
it is important to mention that this species is said not to 
possess a swim-bladder. The number of the pyloric cceca 
is 5, or, according to some authorities, 7. 
The geographical distribution of Scorpewna dactyloptera is 
confined to the Mediterranean Sea; the north-east Atlantic 
Ocean, from the Cape Verd Islands to the coast of Norway; 
and now extends to the North Sea. Its bathymetrical 
distribution appears to range from 54 to 527 fathoms. 
“La Scorpene dactyloptére” was made known to science by 
Dr Delaroche (1) from specimens obtained by him off Iviga, 
one of the Balearic Islands, during the winter of 1807-8. 
Here he tells us that his new fish is known by the name 
of the “Séran impériale,” from its beautiful red colour; and 
he remarks upon its resemblance to the Perca norwegica 
of Fabricius. It is only to be found, according to this 
authority, in the great depths of the Mediterranean; and to 
be either very rare or little known at thé ports where it is 
not the custom to fish at the depths frequented by this 
species. Delaroche was present at the capture of many 
specimens close to Ivica, from depths ranging from 160 to 
180 fathoms; and_in‘ the vicinity of Barcelona, where the 
fish is called the “ Panegal,” it was obtained by him at 330 
fathoms. The average size of the specimens was from two 
