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S C O R 
the jaws and palate; the gill-membrane is seven-rayed; the 
body is thick and fleshy ; the dorsal fin is single, long; the 
anterior rays are spinous. According to Gmelin there are 
nine species, but by other naturalists sixteen have been enu¬ 
merated. 
This genus is distinguished by a peculiar uncouthness of 
appearance; the head, in some species, being abruptly trun¬ 
cated in front, of vast size, and armed with protuberances 
and spines. 
1. Scorpama porcus.—Cirri near the eyes and nostrils.— 
This species is common in the Mediterranean, where it 
chiefly frequents the shores, lying in ambush among stones, 
sea-weeds, &c., and preying on the smaller fishes and insects; 
the head is large; the mouth is wide, with many rows of 
small sharp teeth; the eyes are large; the gill-covers are 
armed with strong spines intermixed with cirri; the body 
is covered with small rough scales of a dusky colour, 
varied with black on the back, and beneath pale, with a 
reddish cast. The dorsal fin is furnished with very strong 
spiny rays, which the fish, when caught, erects, and thus 
wounds its adversary. It is generally, when full grown, 
from twelve to fifteen inches long. 
2. Scorpaena scrofa.—The lower lip has two cirri. This, 
in its general appearance, is very nearly allied to the porcus, 
so much so, that it might be mistaken for it; but it is larger, 
and has larger scales; it has also several cirri or processes 
disposed along the lateral line ; the colour likewise is rather 
rufous than brown, as in the former kind. Of this species 
it is reported, that it preys not only on the smaller fishes, 
but even on marine birds that happen to come within its 
reach. It sometimes attains the length of four feet; it must, 
consequently, prove a formidable enemy to smaller marine 
animals. It is said to be an edible fish, notwithstanding its 
forbiding appearance. 
3. Scorpaena horrida.—The body of this is beset with 
callous tubercles.—It inhabits the coasts of India. The 
body is variegated with brown and white, devoid of 
small scales, and all sides rough with cirri. The head 
is very large, covered with tubercles and prickles, and 
disfigured with cavities; eyes very small, the pupil is 
black, iris yellow, placed above a deep hollow ; the mouth 
above is large, the inside is armed with numerous small 
sharp teeth; the lateral line beginning at the nape and 
bent downward near the anal fin, and ending in the middle 
of the tail; the fins are covered with a thick skin ; the rays 
are forked. 
4. Scorpaena volitans.—Pectoral fins are larger than the 
body.—It inhabits tire fresh waters of Amboina and Japan. 
It is less than the river perch; it has the pow’er of raising 
itself out of the water, and suspending itself in the air a 
short time by means of its long pectoral fins, when pursued 
by larger fish; the body is varied with brown bands, and 
intermediate orange and white lines, and covered with small 
imbricate scales. The flesh of this species is reckoned ex¬ 
tremely delicious. 
5. Scorpaena antennata.—This is known chiefly by a 
band across the eyes; it is variegated with brown and yel¬ 
low ; it has large violet-coloured pectoral fins. It is nearly 
allied to the volitans in its general appearance, but is some¬ 
what larger, and with a sloping head; the body is varie¬ 
gated with numerous brown and yellow transverse stripes; 
the eyes are larger than those of the preceding fish, and im¬ 
mediately over the eyes are seated two long cylindrical ten- 
tacula or cirri, surrounded by several fibrous brown bars; 
upper jaw is longer than the lower; pectoral fins smaller 
than the flying scorpaena, and of a deep violet colour, with 
the rays projected greatly beyond the membrane ; the scales 
on the body are larger than those on the flying scorpaena, 
and the head is nearly plain or whitish in front.—It is a 
native of the rivers of Amboina. 
6 . Scorpaena didactyla, or brown scorpaena.—Blotched 
and spotted with yellow, with two distinct appendages near 
the pectoral fin. This is not more than about a foot long, 
the form is extremely grotesque; the general colour is a dusky 
P M N A. ' 
brown, varied above by transverse yellow streaks, and be¬ 
neath by roundish spots of the same colour; the skin is des¬ 
titute of scales; the head is depressed, and furnished on 
different parts with several abrupt fleshy cirri; the eyes are 
large, and situated on two protuberances; the snoot is trun¬ 
cated, and marked on the sides by several angular wrinkles, 
as are also the lower parts of the gill-covers : the lower jaw 
is longer than the upper; the tongue is prominent, and 
marked with yellow granulations and black streaks; the 
cirri are fleshy, a very large one on each side on the lower 
jaw; the lateral line is parallel with the back; the vent is 
placed behind the end of the ventral fins; the fins are 
formed of numerous rays terminating in filaments ; the pec¬ 
toral fins are large, oval, and with rounded tail barred with 
black ; the dorsal reaching from the head to the tail. This 
fish was first described by Dr. Pallas.—It is a native of the 
Indian seas, and preys on the smaller fishes, sea-insects, &c. 
It is an edible fish. 
7. Scorpaena Capensis.—The head of this species is marked 
on each side over the eyes with four teeth or processes, and 
nearly an even tail. It is about a foot long; it is covered 
with small, rough, imbricated scales ; the head is large ; so 
also are the eyes, which are situated on each side; the mouth 
is wide; the jaws are equal; the gill-covers are each com¬ 
posed of two very large scaly plates, the upper of which 
terminates in four denticulations, and the lower in a single 
point; the back is arched and carinated; the pectoral fins 
are large and ovate.—It is a native of the Cape of Good 
Hope, and was described by Gronovius. 
8. Scorpaena spinosa.—The dorsal fin of this is continued 
from head to tail, and it has a spiny lateral line. According 
to Dr. Shaw, the body is compressed ; the head is spiny, 
and the lateral line is marked with spiny points ; the dorsal 
fin is longer than in most of the genus, reaching from be¬ 
tween the eyes to the tail. 
9. Scorpaena Americana.—The mouth of this is bearded; 
the head spiny, and the pectoral fins suborbicular. The head 
is armed with protuberances and spines; it has two spines on 
the upper lip, and five or six on the lower; the last fifteen 
rays of the dorsal fin form a portion more elevated than the 
rest of the fin, and they are of a rounded figure; the anal 
fin, which is situated just beneath this part, is of a similar 
shape; the pectoral fins and tail are also rounded.—It is a 
native of the American seas. 
Such are the species described by Gmelin; the following 
have been added since:— 
10. Scorpaena plumieri.—Blackish, with feathered cirri on 
the head and lateral line. The upper part and sides of the 
head, together with the gill-covers, armed with triangular, 
flat, and sharp spines: between the eyes are situated four 
fringed cirri; and four others of similar form, but smaller, 
are placed on the upper lip; while several are disposed along 
a lateral line ; the body is covered with scales of a moderate 
size; the first part of the dorsal fin, which is of a rounded 
form, is furnished with spiny rays, and the tail is also 
rounded; the general colour of the fish is of a very deep or 
blackish-brown, and on the pectoral fins are a few small 
brown spots.—It is a native of the American seas. 
11. Scorpaena Commersonii.—The body and fins of this 
species are transversely banded with brown and yellow; the 
eye-brows are serrated, and the upper lip bearded. This 
species has been described by M. Cepede from the manu¬ 
scripts of Conimerson. The back is arched and carinated ; 
the lateral line curving downwards ; the body is covered 
with small scales; the head is large, and armed with numer - 
ous spines ; the orbits of the eyes are elevated, and forming 
two denticulated crests, with a furrow between them; the 
lower is somewhat longer than the upper, which is extensile, 
and furnished on each side with three or four beards; the 
teeth are very small and close; the nostrils are each marked 
with a small filament; the gill-covers are composed of two 
plates; the dorsal fin is marked in different parts by large 
unequal sinuations; the pectoral fins are so long as almost 
to reach as far as the extremity of the back fin, and the tail 
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