37 



ally twice as long, and the body clothed with large scales of a pe- 

 culiar shape and nature. I only forbear to draw up its specific cha- 

 racter till I have checked my notes and observations by examination 

 of more examples ; but I hope to be allowed the privilege at once of 

 commemorating by its specific name the valuable assistance rendered 

 to the cause of Ichthyology by Mr. George Butler Leacock, of this 

 island generally, as well as in the present instance. 



Fam. CORYPH^ENID^. 



Asteroderma coryphtenoides (Bon.) ; Astrodermus coryphanoides, 

 Cuv. et Val. IX. 353. t. 270. — Diana semilunata, Risso, Hist. iii. 

 267./. 14. 



A single small example only has occurred. 



Fam. Labrid^. 



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

 A most elegant and well-marked little species. 



JuLis UNiMACULATA. — " Peixe Verde." — f. elliptico-oblonga, gra- 

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

 dinali obscura : squamis magnis, Utura riifa perpendiculate notatis : 

 capite rosaceo-rufo, strigis fasciisve flexuosis caruleis picto : 

 pinna dorsali medio unimaculata analique basi squamatis : oj^er- 

 culo postice biangulato : cauda lunata, lobis abbreviatis. 



D. 8-1-13; A. 3+11; P. 2 + 13; V. 1+5; C. |^^U||. 



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



maculatis. Vulgatiss. 

 Var. j8. lineolata -. corpore efasciato, toto lituris rufis creberrimis ad 



perpendiculum ductis sequaliter picto. Vulg. 



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

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

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

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

 species, which is composed of two varieties, precisely corresponding 

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



Fam. GADiDiE. 



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 the 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 diflFers 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 Madeiran Hake, or " Pescada," Merlucius vulgaris of my 



