6 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



the spine itself. The dorsal has the fourth spine longest, and equalling just half the entire length 

 of the spinous portion of the fin. Both the spinous and soft portions have minute scales 

 between the rays, covering rather more than the basal half of the fin ; they rise highest just at 

 the commencement of the soft portion. The caudal is square at the extremity, or with rather 

 more tendency to notched than rounded ; the basal half scaly. The anal commences in a line 

 with the third soft ray of the dorsal, and has the basal half of the soft portion finely scaled : 

 the second spine is strongest, but the third somewhat the longest. The pectorals are rounded, 

 with the seventh and eighth rays longest ; finely scaled on the upper side for one-fourth of their 

 length from the base, but without any scales beneath. The ventrals are a little shorter than 

 the pectorals, with a spine of about the same length and stoutness as the third anal spine, and 

 rather more than equalling half the length of the soft rays : they are obsoletely scaled on the 

 upper side between the rays. 



D. 11/16 ; A. 3/8 ; C. 15, &c— P. 17 ; V. l/o. 



Length 7 inches. 



Colour. — {In spirits.) Of a nearly uniform bister brown, stained and mottled here and there, par- 

 ticularly on the sides below the lateral line, with patches of a much paler tint. 



Habitat, St. Jago, Cape Verde Islands. 



The Serran above described, was procured by Mr. Darwin at Porto Praya. 

 I am not sure that I am right in referring it to the S. Goreensis of Valenciennes, 

 as in so extensive a genus, and one in which the species are so extremely similar, 

 it is very difficult to identify any one in particular, without the opportunity of 

 comparing it with a large number. But it seems to agree with that species better 

 than with any other I can find noticed by authors ; and the island of Goree is 

 sufficiently near the Cape Verde Islands, to render it probable that the same 

 species may occur in both localities. It has the same square tail, which, accord- 

 ing to Valenciennes, so particularly characterizes the *S*. Goreensis ; but it has one 

 soft ray more in the dorsal. I see no appearance of the deep violet said to border 

 the dorsal and anal fins, but possibly it may have been effaced by the action of 

 the spirit. 



3. Serranus aspersus. Jen. 



S. supra viridi-niger, sublus pallidior ; lateribus smaragdino pallida aspersis ; pinnis 

 anali, caudali, dorsalique postice, apicibus croceis ; dentibus velutinis, caninis in 

 maxilla superiore utrinque versus apicem duobus sub-fortibus ; preopercido margine 

 prope recto denticulato ; denticulis ad unguium paulb majoribus ; operculo mu- 



