ACANTHOPTERYGII 



693 



serious objection could be raised to their union in one great 

 family with a number of minor divisions. 



The character from which the Scleroparei derive their name 



pile-. 



■p.r 



B C 



Fig. 423.— Left pectoral arch of A, Sebastes percoides; B, Scorpaenichihys marmoratus ; 

 C, Bactylopterus volitans. d. Clavicle ; cor, coracoid ; pel, post-clavicle ; p.r pec- 

 toral rays ; ptr, pterygials ; ptte, post-temporal ; sc, scapula ; sol, siipraclavicle. 



is subject to many modifications. The second suborbital (the 

 third if the praeorbital be regarded as the first) may be merely 

 enlarged and prolonged over the cheek towards the praeoper- 

 culum {Sebastes, Anoplo2)oma), or firmly ankylosed to the latter 

 (Scorpaena, Flatyceplmlus), or form part of the external armature 

 of the head {Trigla, Bactylopterus). The structure of the base of 

 the pectoral fin appears to afford important characters for the 

 definition of the families, as first pointed out by Gill; these 



