FISH. 



The anal commences in a line with the fifth soft ray of the dorsal, and ends a little before that 

 fin : the second spine is strongest, and twice the length of the first : the soft rays are longer 

 than those of the dorsal. There are a few minute scales between the soft rays of both dorsal 

 and anal, to about one quarter of their height. The caudal is even, but may possibly have been 

 worn so by use. The ventrals are directly under the pectorals, a little shorter than them, 

 and pointed. 

 Colour. — " Varies much. Above pale blackish-green ; belly white ; fins, gill-covers, and part of 

 the sides, dirty reddish orange : on the side of the back, six or seven good-sized snow-white 

 spots, with not a very regular outline. — In some specimens, the blackish-green above becomes 

 dark, and is separated by a straight line from the paler under parts. — Again, other specimens 

 are coloured dirty 'reddish-orange,' and ' gallstone yellow,'* the upper parts only rather darker. 

 But in all, the white spots are clear ; five or six in one row, and one placed above. Sometimes 

 the fins are banded longitudinally with orange and black-green." — D. 



Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. 



This species, which is undoubtedly new, was obtained by Mr. Darwin at 

 Charles Island, in the Galapagos Archipelago. As many specimens were seen, 

 it is probably not uncommon there. It appears to be a Serranus, but its canines, 

 if they can be so called, are very small and inconspicuous. Its naked jaws re- 

 quire it to be placed in Cuvier's first section of that genus, though much larger 

 than most of the species contained in it, and rather differing from them in general 

 form. In some of its chai'acters, it would seem to make a near approach to Cen- 

 tropristes, between which and Serranus, there is undoubtedly a very close affinity. 



2. Serranus Goreensis. Val. ? 



Serranus Goreensis, Cuv. et Val. Hist. dcsPoiss. torn. vi. p. 384. 



Form. — The general form approaching very closely that of the 5. Gigas. Greatest depth one- 

 fourth of the entire length. Head rather less than one-third of the same. The diameter of 

 the eye is one-fifth of the length of the head ; and the distance from the eye to the extremity 

 of the snout is about one diameter and a quarter. The lower jaw is covered with small scales, 

 but not the maxillary. The nostrils consist of two round apertures, the anterior one rather 

 larger than the posterior, and covered by a membranous flap. The teeth in the upper jaw form a 

 velutine band, with the outer row in fine card, and two stronger and longer ones near the 

 middle of the jaw on each side : below there is a narrow band of fine card, with stronger ones 

 situated as above. The denticulations at the angle of the preopercle are well developed, espe- 

 cially two teeth which are much stronger than any on the ascending margin. The opercle has 

 three flat spines, the middle one longest and projecting further than the others ; but the termi- 

 nating angle of the membrane projects beyond this spine to a distance equalling the length of 



t In this and in all other cases, Mr. Darwin has used Werner's Nomenclature of Colours, by Patrick Syme. 



