FISH. 35 



This species very closely approaches the P. Icevigatus of Cuvier and Valen- 

 ciennes, with which it particularly agrees in the smoothness of its head, and 

 large approximating eyes. The two spines, however, at the angle of the preo- 

 percle appear to be still smaller than in that species;* the fin-ray formula 

 is a little different ; and so also are the colours ; the first dorsal being parti- 

 cularly characterized by a large irregular dark-coloured stain on its posterior 

 portion, and the anal and ventrals being almost wholly dusky, instead of pale 

 with spots on the rays only, as in the P. Icevigatus. Possibly it may be a mere 

 variety. Mr. Darwin's specimen was obtained at King George's Sound. 



Family— SCORPiENID^E. 



Scorp^ena histrio. Jen. 



Plate VIII. 



S. toto corpore coccineo, pinnis pallidioribus, maculis parvis irregularibus nigricanti- 

 bus : capite magna ex parte alepidoto, lineis spinosis solitis armato : pinna dorsali 

 spinis incequalibus, iertia paulo longissimd : capite et lateribus cirris cutaneis parvis 

 ubique adornatis ; quatuor palpebralibus, prcesertim duobus poster ioribus, majoribus, 

 palmatis. 



B. 7 ; D. 12/9 ; A. 3/5 ; C. 13, &c. ; P. 20 ; V. 1/5. 

 Long. unc. 9. 



Form. — General form resembling that of the S. Scrofa. Depth at the pectorals just one-fourth of 

 the entire length. Thickness a trifle more than two-thirds of the depth. Head more than one- 

 third of the entire length. Eyes large and elevated, distant from the end of the snout rather 

 more than one diameter ; the space between very concave, twice as long as broad, with two 

 whitish lines in the central furrow, diverging as they recede backwards towards the nape, but 

 scarcely elevated into salient ridges. Mouth oblique, with the gape large and the lower jaw a 

 little the longest ; when closed, the end of the maxillary, which is broad and much dilated, 

 reaches to a vertical line from the posterior part of the orbit. A broad ish band of velutine 

 teeth in each jaw as well as on the vomer and palatines. Tongue smooth. A small sharp 

 triangular spine on each of the nasal bones, (in this specimen that on the left side is double or 

 forked) : upper margin of the orbit, which is much elevated, with three spines, one strong one 

 at the anterior angle, and two, nearly as large, further back ; beyond which, on the left orbit 

 only, is a fourth smaller one. Space between the eyes bounded posteriorly by a raised arc 



* Judging from the figure in the " Voyage de l'Astrolobe (Zoologie)," pi. 10. f. 4. 



