SCORPA:NA DACTYLOPTERA ON THE 
YORKSHIRE COAST: 
AN ADDITION TO THE FAUNA OF THE BRITISH 
NORTH SEA AREA, 
T. H,. NELSON, M.B.O.U., anp WM. EAGLE CLARKE, F.L.S., Erc. 
On the 2nd of February last, one of the Redcar fishermen brought 
me a strange-looking fish, which had been found, washed up by the 
tide, on Coatham sands. Not being able to identify it myself, 
Mr. Roebuck forwarded the specimen to Mr. W. Eagle Clarke of 
the Edinburgh Museum.—T.H.N. 
On examination I found the specimen —_ resembled 
Sebastes norwegicus in general appearance, but differed in the 
following important points, namely: (1) In having oa interorbital 
Space concave, not flat; (2) the dorsal spines longer than the 
dorsal rays, instead of shorter; (3) the lower jaw (dentary) was 
not prominent ; (4) the upper posterior angle of the operculum 
reached to the lateral line, and was not spined at its apex. Thinking 
that these peculiarities—though they are certainly very marked— 
might, perhaps, be characteristic of the youth of Sebastes norwegicus, 
I wrote to my friend Mr. Boulenger, of the British Museum, 
describing them, and afterwards sent him the specimen. 
e informed me that the specimen was a young Scorfena 
dactyloptera De la Roche= Sebastes dactylopterus (De la Roche), 
(Giinther, Cat. Acanth. Fishes, IL., p- 99), a species whose range 
is known to extend to the S.W. coast "et Ireland, in deep water, 
where several specimens were taken in 1889, from 250 fathoms 
(Gunther, Ann. and Mag., N. H. (6), iv., 1889, p. 417). This has 
hitherto, I believe, been the only British record. The species is 
described by Dr. Giinther as being common in the Mediterranean, 
and at Madeira, where Lowe found it in 250-400 fathoms; and it 
is not uncommon on the coast of Norway, in depths of from 
100-300 fathom 
The wea was 4°8 inches in length, and of a beautiful 
golden-red colour, with a somewhat mottled appearance, due to 
a slight want of uniformity in the tint. 
In conclusion, it affords me much pleasure to acknowledge 
my indebtedness to Mr. Boulenger.—W.E.C. 
March 1893. ’ 
