ON THE ICHTHYOLOGY OF THE SEAS OF CHINA AND JAPAN. 215 



exceed two-thirds of the diameter of the orbit. The ridge which flanks the top of the cranium 

 is a regular saw with five teeth ; but the temporal ridges, though equally prominent, are more 

 irregularly toothed. A low, thin, irregularly incised edge crests the infra-orbitar ridge, and 

 three minute teeth arm the posterior edge of the preorbitar. The preopercular spine is very 

 short, and is not bigger than the compressed tooth which overlies it. Only two teeth or an- 

 gular corners exist on the edge of the bone below the spine. The operculum shows the usual 

 two low ribs ending in short spinous points, but there are no serratures on the suboperculum, 

 interoperculum or lower jaw. Small scales cover the top of the head to the nostrils, the cheek 

 and gill-covers ; but none can be detected on the maxillaries, which are most probably scaleless 

 in the recent fish. The scales are minutely toothed on the edge. 

 Hab. China. 



Sebastes serrulatus, Richardson. Bad. B. 7; D. 13|11 ; A. 3|5; C. 14|. 



This Sebastes, also discovered in an insect-box, is not armed on the head by rows of spines 

 like others of the genus, but presents in place of them very low, thin and serrated crests. A 

 low double crest skirts the upper edge of the orbit, and is followed on each side of the cranium 

 by a rather higher single one. Two ridges, nearly as high as the edges of the orbit, run for- 

 ward between the eyes to the nostrils, their tips being the only substitutes for the usual nasal 

 spines. The small preorbitar has an irregular but obscurely stellate cancellated disc, with two 

 small descending spinous teeth on its under edge. The second suborbitar, which crosses the 

 cheek, shows two thin, finely serrated crests that include a rugose disc. The edge of the pre- 

 operculum is serrated throughout, but it is only by aid of a lens that a minute spine can be de- 

 tected at its angle, and clusters of spinous points on the usual sites of the four angular corners. 

 The temples are roughly bony, and each limb of the lower jaw is traversed by three serrated 

 crests higher than the cranial ones. A triangular operculum ends in a minute spinous point*, 

 the suboperculum being prolonged beyond it to a fine tip. A few crenatures exist on the sub- 

 operculum where its edge meets the interoperculum. 



Top of the head nearly on a line with the back, the orbits being close to the profile, but not 

 elevated. The interorbitar space exceeds half the diameter of the orbit in breadth, and is 

 scaly between the ridges. Scales cover the whole side of the head except the ridges, and also 

 the disc of the maxillary, and like those which cover the body, they are coarsely ciliated. 

 Minute villiform teeth arm the jaws and the very small acute chevron of the vomer ; but the 

 palate bones appear to be toothless. This points to a generic difference from Sebastes. Many 

 of the rays have been mutilated and the specimen is otherwise much injured, so that we can- 

 not complete the description. The dorsal spines are slender, moderately tall, and grooved on 

 the sides. The first two are contiguous to each other, and the penultimate one is much shorter 

 than the last one. The pectorals reach to the beginning of the anal fin; and the third anal 

 spine is one-fourth longer than the second one. The head forms nearly a third of the entire 

 length, which in our specimen is 4 inches. 



Hab. Sea of China. 



Sebastes marmoratus, C. et V. iv. p. 345 ; Temm. ct Schl. F. J. 46. pi. 21. 

 f. 1 and 2. 



The British Museum possesses one of Burger's specimens, which I have not been able to 

 identify with any of Mr. Reeves's drawings. 

 Hab. Japan. 



Sebastes albo-fasciatus, Lacepede (Holocentrus), iv. p. 372 ; C. et V. 

 iv. p. 344. 



The authors of the ' Fauna Japonica' consider this to be merely a variety of marmoratus. 

 Hab. Seas of China and Japan. 



Sebastes sinensis, M'Clelland, Calcutta Journ. Nat. Hist. iv. p, 397. 

 pi. 21. f. 3. 



Mr. M'Clelland thinks that this may belong to the preceding species. His figure differs in 

 profile from that of S. marmoratus in the ' Fauna Japonica.' 

 Hab. Chusan. 



Scorp^na cirrhosa, Thunberg (Perca), Mem. de Stockh. 14. pi. 7. f. 2. 



* Most of the Sebastes and Scorpants have their bony operculum strengthened by two di- 

 verging ribs, whose points are spinous. In this species a vestige of a single rib only can be 

 detected. 



