On Scorpeena dactyloptera, Delaroche. 99 
has been not inaptly described as “a great plain covered with 
shallow water.” Its greatest depth, covering an area of any 
magnitude, within the British area is 50 fathoms, at some 
distance off the north-east coast of Scotland. South of this 
the sea shallows considerably, until 20 fathoms is reached off 
the north-east coast of England; while farther south it 
becomes shallower still, and 20 fathoms is only to be found 
quite locally. Here and there within this area few, remark- 
ably few, depressions are to be found. A hole of over 
100 fathoms is indicated on the chart of the North Sea as 
lying 13 miles off Troup Head, at the mouth of the Moray 
Firth. According to Olsen’s “ Piscatorial Atlas” there is a 
depression of 60 fathoms, some 30 miles east of Coquet 
Island; one of 50 fathoms, about 40 miles off Flamborough 
Head; another of 50 fathoms, about the same distance off 
the north-east coast of Lincolnshire; and lastly there is 
shown a sort of pit, with a maximum depth of 112 
fathoms, situated some 50 miles east of the Forfarshire 
coast. 
So far as our present knowledge of the habitat suited to 
the existence of Scorpena dactyloptera allows us to venture 
an opinion, the two abysses—for abysses they are in these 
shallow waters—in our North Sea area afford the only 
congenial haunts for this fish. It may, eventually, be found 
to inhabit shallower water; but the circumstance that the 
species has long been known to naturalists as a deep-sea 
form only, would seem to be weighty argument against the 
likelihood of such proving to be the case. In this particular 
connection it may be well to remark that Mr Holt, who 
speaks with authority on this species, has said that “our 
information is not as yet sufficient to show any marked 
difference in the habitats of the old and young forms.” 
It would, I think, seem not improbable, from what we 
know concerning the life-history of this fish in its extreme 
youth, that the young may be eventually found to inhabit 
shallower waters than the adults. 
The facts that this English specimen was picked up ina 
perfectly fresh and uninjured condition, and its being a young 
one, afford important evidence in favour of its British origin, 
