44 
PISCES THORACICI. SCORP^NA. 
SCORPtENA, 
GENERIC 
Caput magnum aculeatum; oculi vicini. 
Dentes maxillis, palato, faitcibusque. 
Membrana branchiostega. radiis vii. 
CHARACTER. 
The head large, prickly ; eyes near to each 
other; teeth in the jaws, palate, and 
throat. The branchial membrane has 
vii. rays. 
No. LVI. 
Scorivena capite cavernosa , alepidoto, spinis munito ; cirrulis pluribus ad maxillam inferiorem ; 
oculis magnis ; cirrus inter wares utrinque ; cauda oblonga , rotundata. 
The ScottP/ENA with a rough, pitted, head, without scales, but armed with spines; several 
cirri at the lower jaw, and one between the nostrils. 
Called by the Natives Mooroo Bontoo. 
12 » 3 
B. vii. D. 22. P. 18. V. 6. A. S. C. 16. 
The body oblong-ovate, compressed, squamous. Scales imbricate, small, roundish, with pectinated margins, 
and feeling rough to the finger. 
The bead roundish, obtuse, rough, with many straight spines pointing backwards; the front concave declivous. 
The mouth very wide, a little oblique, terminal. The jaws extractile, nearly equal in length, the upper emar- 
ginate; six or seven cirri at the under jaw. Teeth small, setaceous, in many rows. Tongue short, awl-form, 
smooth, free. The palate rough with teeth. The eyes large, high, near each other, orbicular; the upper edge 
of the orbit armed with curve spines. Nostrils small, near the orbit, with a small cirrus or pinnula, between 
them. 
Branchial opercula two-leaved, partly squamous, moveable, armed with straight spines pointing backward; 
the membrane exposed; aperture lateral and gular, arched. 
The trunk. The back somewhat arched, roundish ; the sides convex, compressed, the throat and abdomen 
convex; the tail attenuated, compressed, roundish. Lateral line carinate, descending obliquely from the point 
of the first opercula, it proceeds straight and nearly middle to the tail. The anus small, and distant from 
the head. 
Th efins. The solitary dorsal fin occupies the whole of the back, the twelve spinal rays forming an arch, 
the others ascending; the pectoral broad, and pointed; the ventral and anal short; the caudal oblong, 
rounded. 
The colour of the head and body dark, with a mixture of dull red; the throat and belly are of a pink colour. 
The fins irregularly streaked black and red; the ventral at its root is pink, like the belly. 
The length including the caudal fin nearly seven inches. 
