s lig h tly p ro je c tin g , p a r tic u la r ly th e low e r o n e s . T h e ra y s
a p p e a r s im p le a t f ir s t s ig h t, b u t a re n o t so, e a c h h a v in g
two c lo s e lj’ a d h e r in g b ra n c h e s .
T h e sk in is p e rfe c tly sm o o th , a u d a p p e a r s to h a v e b e e n
m u c o u s w h en re c e n t. Us c o lo u r, w hen d r ie d , is y e llow ish -
b row n , a n d th e re a re th re e p a le sp o ts o n e a c h s id e o f th e
b a c k , a b o v e th e la te r a l liu e : o n e u n d e r th e s ix te e n th a n d
s e v e n te e n th ra y s , th e s e c o n d u n d e r th e tw e n ty - s e v e n th a n d
tw e n ty -e ig h th r a y s , a n d th e th i rd a n d sm a lle s t o n th e b a s e
o f th e th ir ty - fo u r th d o rs a l ra y . T h e d o rs a l fin is c lo u d e d ,
a u d som e m in u te s p e c k lin g c a n b e tr a c e d o n th e o th e r
fins. T h e r e a re a b o u t th ir ty - fo u r o r th irty -fiv e vertebrae,
a s n e a r ly a s th e y c a n b e c o u n te d th ro u g h th e in te g um e n ts .
Len g tli from u p p e r lip to en d o f cau d a l f iu ..
„ „ base o f d an>............
H e ig h t o f body a t eleventh d orsal v iiv ...........
„ second doreal ray ..............................
L en g th o f p e c to rab ............................................
H-ac. S o u th A u s tra lia .
3'70
3-00
2-75
3-00
S c o r p® n a MILITARIS. R i c h a r d s o u .
C h . S p e c . S c. s p in is c a p itis f e r i S corp«nae p orci v e l bufo-
n is ; c a r in i s in tr a -o r h ita lib u s l a v ib u s , a p ic ib u s p u n g e n -
t ib u s ; o p e rcu lo sum m o ,tem p o r ih u s , g e n is q u e sq u am o s is ;
o r b itis su p e r n e f o r t e ir id e n la t i s , c ir rh o n n ic o p a r v o ;
c i r r h is q u o q u e n a s a l ib u s ; colore ca rm e s in o ; p in n d
d o r s i sp in o sd r i v u la td c um m a c u la nigra, o h longd a d
m a r g in em p o n e m e d ium .
R a i h i i—B r . 7 ; D .M j lO ; A .3 ! o ; C . I 2 4 ; P . 1 7 ; V . l |5 .
Scor/ktna cruenta, So lander, M S S. ? Rich. Annals N a t. H is t, for May,
1842, p. 217. ¿'corpiKKi m f /tiam , Rich . Zool. T ran s., iii. p. 90. Scor-
p a iia ergaslulorum, Id em , Annals o f N a t. H ist., May, 1842, p. 217.
Soldier tish o f th e colonists o f Tasmania.
P l a t e X IV ., figs. 1, 2, n a tu r a l siz e .
I n S o la n d e r ’s M S S ., p re s e rv e d in th e B a n k s ia n lib ra ry ,
th e r e is an a c c o u n t o f th e co lo u rs o f a S co ip c en a c ru e n ta ,
ta k e n off' C a p e K id n a p p e r s , N ew Z e a la n d , o n C o o k ’s first
v o y ag e . T h is is n o t a c c om p a n ie d b y a fig u re , o r any d e s
c r ip tio n o f fo rm . I n J u n e , 1839, I r e a d an a c c o u n t o f a
c o lle c tio n o f fish m a d e a t P o r t V an D iem e n ’s L a n d , b e fore
th e Z o o lo g ic a l S o c ie ty , in w h ich a S co rp u in a m il i ta r is was
d e s c r ib e d from sp e c im e n s wh ich h a d lo s t th e ir m a rk in g s ,
a n d h a d b e e n o th e rw is e in ju r e d b y d e te rio ra tio n o f th e
sp ir it in w h ic h th e y w e re im m e rs e d . F rom th is c a u s e , th e
b la c k m a rk o n th e d o rs a l w a s e ffa c ed , a n d I d id n o t re c o g n
iz e i t a s c o rr e sp o n d in g with Solandev’s d e s c rip tio n o f
c r u e n ta . I n a p a p e r on A u s tra lia n fish , p u b lis h e d in th e
A n n a ls o f N a tu r a l H is to ry , in 1842 a n d 1843, I d e s c rib e d
a d raw in g m a d e b y a co n v ic t a t P o r t A rth u r, o f a S co r -
pm n a , w h ic h I n am e d p ro v is io n a lly e rg a s lu lo rum , p la c in g
i t in ju x ta p o s itio n with S o la n d e r’s c ru e n ta ; b u t b e in g
u n a b le , from d e fe c ts in th e d raw in g , to id en tify i t with
th a t o r any o th e r s p e c ie s th a t h a d b e e n d e s c rib e d . A
m o re p e r f e c t s p e c im e n in th e p re s e n t c o lle c tio n is r e p r e s
e n te d in P la te X IV ., a n d a p p e a r s to ju s tify th e re fe re n c e
o f th e sy n o n ym e s a b o v e c o lle c te d , to o n e sp e c ie s . T h e r e
w a s n o tr a c e le f t in th e sp e c im e n o f th e b lo o d - r c d m a rk
on th e so ft d o r s a l, m e n tio n e d b y S o la n d e r, b u t i t m ay ,
n ev e rth e le s s , h a v e e x is te d iu th e r e c e n t fish, o r m a y b e a
m a rk a s sum e d in th e sp aw n in g s e a so n . T h e follow in g is
S o la n d e r ’s a c c o u n t o f th e co lo u rs o f th e liv in g fish :—
“ C o rp u s s a tu r a t è s ed ob scu rè ru h ru rn , n e b u lis su b fa s -
c ia tis p a u c i s p a l l id e liile s c e n tib u s p i c tu m , s u h lu s d ih d è
sa n g u in e um . C a p u t su p e r n è e t la te r e p u r p u r a s c e n t i -
r u b ic u n d um , s u b lu s d i lu t e .sa n g u in eum , n e b u lis a lb is . I r i s
r u b ro -a rg e n fe a . P u p i l la n ig r a . P in n a e d o r sa le s p u r s
p r im a obscurè r u b r a , r i v u l i s p a u c is , s u b p e llu c id is , p o s tic è
n e b u la n ig ra , oblonga ; p a r s p o s te r io r a n lic è , p ro p e b a s in
m a c u la in te n s é s a n g u in e ii n o ta ta , a lia s r u b ic u n d a macU'
l i s n ig r i c a n t ib u s a d sp e r sa . P in n a r e iitra lis s a n g u in e a ,
m a c u lis p a u c is n ig r is . P in n a c a u d a lis r o tu n d a ta , ru b r a ,
m a c u lis n ig r is in q u a tu o r fa s c i i s p e r ra d io s d isp o s itis orn
a ta : m em b r a n a co n n e c ten s im m a c u la ta : ' (S o lan d e r,
P is c e s A u s tr a lia i, M S S ., p . 5).
T h e fo rm o f th e fish is fu lly d e s c r ib e d iu th e Z o o lo g ic a l
T r a n s a c tio n s , a s a b o v e q u o te d .
L e n g th o f sp e c im e n , s ix in c h e s .
H ab. C o a s ts o f V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d , a n d o f New Z e a la
n d .
S c o r p e n a b y n o e n s is . R ic h a rd s o n ,
C h . S p e c . S c. c a p ite b r e v i a lto c um corpore c ir r h is p lu -
r im i s p tir v is o rn a to ; p i n n d p e c to r a li g u i t i s la c lé is s e r ia
t im f a s c i a t a ; p i n n i s a liis , corpore , e t c a p ite n e b u lis
a lb is va r iis .
R a d i i :— B r . 7 ; D . 1 2 |1 0 ; A. 3 |5 ; C . 1 2 4 ; P . 1 7 ; V. Il5.
P l a te X IV ., figs. 3, 4 , 5, n a tu r a l siz e .
T h i s s p e c ie s w a s d is c o v e re d b y B e n jam in B y n o e , E sq .,
w h ile s e rv in g a s su rg e o n o f th e B e a g le , o n th e novlh-ivest
c o a s t o f A u s tra lia , a n d se em s to differ from a ll th e Scor-
patno! th a t h av e b e e n h ith e r to figured.
T h e s c a le s o n th e h e a d a re c o n fin e d to th e u p p e r p a r t o f
th e g ill-co v e r a n d tem p le s , th e c h e e k s above th e p re o rb ita r
r id g e b e in g sm o o th a n d sc a le le s s . T h e r e is , p e rh a p s , a
s in g le row o f v e ry m in u te s c a le s c lo s e to th e rid g e b e n
e a th , b u t th e r e s t o f th e ch e e k is p e rfe c tly sm o o th . T h e
intra -ovbita i- rid g e s a re little m a rk e d , a n d a re n o t te rm in a te d
b y sp in o u s p o in ts ; th e m id d le s u p r a -o rb ita r to o th , th o u g h
p r e tty la rg e , is d e p re s s e d , a n d in c lin e d inw a rd s . T h e cin-hi
a re v e ry n um e ro u s , b u t n o n e o f th em a re la rg e . A
b u sh y o ne , a n d m a n y sm a lle r filam en ts , rise from th e o rb it,
a s im ila r o n e from th e a n te r io r n o s tril, a n d m an y w h ic h a re
m o re o r le s s frin g ed o r lo b e d from a lm o s t a ll th e p rom in e n t
c o rn e rs o f th e h e a d . O n e o f th e m o s t co n sp ic u o u s is
a tta c h e d to th e p o s te r io r co rn e r o f th e p r e o rb ita r . T h e
la te r a l lin e , a n d th e b o d y th ro u g h o u t, a re f rin g e d b y n u m
e ro u s s im p le filam en ts . T h e c o lo u r in sp ir its is b row n ,
d e e p e n in g in to d a rk um b e r on th e c h e e k , th e to p o f th e
h e a d , sp o ts on th e g ill-co v c r, a n d a la rg e p a tc h u n d e r th e
s e c o n d do rsa l. 'The r e s t o f th e b o d y is o f a lig h te r brown,
re lie v e d b y w hite m a rk s , which in som e p la c e s a re o p a q u e
m ilk -w h ite , su ch a s th e row s on th e p e c to r a l, th e la rg e r
s p o ts o n th e a n a l, th e a x illa o f th e p e c to ra l, a n d a lo n g th e
b e lly . T h e filam en ts a lso on th e h e a d a n d b o d y a re m o s tly
o p a q u e w h ite . T h e c lislrib u tio n o f th e m a rk in g s e ls ew h e re
will b e b e s t u n d e r s to o d b y a r e fe re n c e to th e fig u re . T h e r e
a re e le v e n s im p le ra y s in th e p e c to r a l.
L e n g th , 2-80 in c h e s .
H a b . N o r lh -w e s t c o a s t o f A u s tra lia .
S e b a s t e s p e r c o id e s . R ic h a rd s o n .
R adii :— Br. 7 -7 ; D. 12| 12 vcl 13 ; A .3 |5 ; C. I l f : P . 11
o t v i i i . ; V. 1]5.
Scorpcena percoides, Solander, MSS. Park in so n , Ico n . in ed . Bibl.
Banks, pi. 1«. Sebastes vuiculatus, Richardson, Zo o logical Transactions,
iii. p. 93. Sebastes percoides, Solander, Annals o f N at. H is t, for Ju ly ,
1842, p. 384.
P la t e X V ., figs. 1, 2, n a tu r a l s iz e .
I n th e th i rd v o lum e o f th e Z o o lo g ic a l T r a n s a c tio n s , I
d e s c rib e d th is s p e c ie s a t le n g th a s to form, r e fe rrin g i t to
th e C a p e S eb a ste s m a c u la tu s , w h ic h a t th a t lim e 1 kn ew
on ly from th e s h o r t n o tic e o f th e s p e c ie s c o n ta in e d in th e
H is to ir e de s P oissons. A w e ll-p re s e rv e d s p e c im e n , b ro u g h t
from New Z e a la n d b y S ir J am e s R o s s , a n d s till r e ta in in g
m u c h o f i ts p ro p e r m a rk in g s , e n a b le s m e to id en tify th e fish
w ith th e S co rpm n a p e r c o id e s o f S o la n d e r , a n d th e p u b lic a tio
n o f D r . A n d rew S m ith ’s fig u re o f S eb a s te s m a c u la tu s ,
in h is ‘ Z o o lo g y o f S o u th A fric a ’ (P la te 2 2 , u p p e r figure ),
h a s sh ow n th a t I w a s in e rro r, in su p p o s in g t h a t th e A u s t
r a lia n a n d C a p e S eb a ste s we re th e sam e . 1 h a v e , th e r e fore,
th e p le a su re o f g iv in g a c o r r e c t fig u re , u n d e r S o la n d
e r’s o r ig in a l sp e c ific n am e . S om e o f th e b a n d s o f d a rk
co lo u r, e sp e c ia lly o n e a c ro s s th e h e a d , a n d a n o th e r in th e
sh o u ld e r, h a v e fa d e d in th e sp irits , a n d S o la n d e r ’s a c c o u n t
o f th e r e c e n t tin ts o u g h t, th e re fo re , to b e r e fe rre d to in th e
‘ A n n a ls o f N a tu r a l H is to ry ,’ a s a b o v e q u o te d .
S ebaste s m a c u la tu s h a s a m u c h lowe r sp in o u s d o rs a l,
a n d sm a lle r v e n tra ls , a sm a lle r ey e , a n d l e s s a c u te ly s p in o u s
h e a d , th a n S p e r co id e s .
L e n g th , 9 ^ in c h e s .
H a b . N ew Z e a la n d , V a n D iem e n ’s L a n d , a n d P o r t
J a c k so n .
P l .4t y c e p h a l u s t a s m a n i u s . R ic h a rd s o u .
C h a r . S p e c . P I . osse p r e o r b i ta liu n id e n ia to ; o r b itd le e v i;
sp in d p r eo p e r cuU in fe r io r i, lo n g io r i ; corpore, p in n is q u e
p e c to r is , d o rsi e t caudee m a c u la lis .
R adii B . 7 ; D . 1 - 6 |~ 1 4 ; A. 14 ; C . 134, P . 12 e t v i . ;
V. 1|5.
Platycephalus tasmonius, Riuliardsou, Zo o l. T ran s., vol. iii. p. 97,
P la te X V I IL , figs. 1, 2, n a tu r a l siz e .
T h is fish is fu lly d e s c rib e d in th e Z o o lo g ic a l T r a n s a c tio
n s above q u o te d . 1 th e re n o tic e d its n e a r a p p ro a c h to
P la ty c e p h a lu s bassensis, c h a ra c te ris e d in th e H is to ir e des
Poissons, a n d figured b y Q u o y a n d G a im a rd iu th e ‘ Z o o lo g y
o f th e V o y ag e o f th e A s tro la b e ’ (P la te 10, fig, 3). I t agre e s
w ith th a t sp e c ie s in th e r e la tiv e s iz e o f th e p r e o p e r c u la r
sp in e s , b u t d iffe rs iu h a v in g o n ly o n e sm a ll sp in o u s p o in t
o n th e p r e o rb ita r , in s te a d o f tv\-o ; a n d n o to o th w h a te v e r on
th e m a rg in o f th e o rb it. I n th e sk e le to n o f ta sm a n iu s , a
s lig h t rib is v is ib le in th e p r e o rb ita r b o n e , b u t i t d o e s n o t
p ro je c t b e y o n d th e ed g e . T h e s e m in u te d iffe ren c e s of
s tru c tu r e , th o u g h n o t e s ta b lis h e d b y a n e x am in a tio n o f an
a u th e n tic sp e c im e n o f b assensis, b u t m e re ly g a th e r e d from
th e w o rk s refen-cd to, b e in g c o n jo in e d w ith c o n s id e r a b le
d is c r e p a n c y in th e s iz e a n d d is tr ib u tio n o f th e sp o ts o f
c o lo u r, h a v e in d u c e d m e to k e e p th e sp e c ie s s e p a ra te .
W ith th e e x c e p tio n o f a s lig h t v a ria tio n in th e n um b e r s o f
th e ray s , th e c h a r a c te r s a re c o n s ta n t in a c o n s id e r a b le n um b
e r o f e x am p le s o f ta sm a n iu s .
S iz e , from e ig h t to e ig h te e n in c h e s in le n g th .
H ab. C o a s ts o f V an D iem e n ’s L a n d .
T r ig l a p l e u r a c a n t h ic a . R ic h a rd s o n .
C n . SPEC. T r . /o s s d d o r s a li e t lin e d la te r a li v a lid é a rm a i is ;
sq tiam is c o rp o r is , b a s i J la b e lla lis , la te r ib u s concavis,
p o s tic è c o rd a tis , a p ic u la tis , c a r in a tis ; o rb itis a n tic è
I r id e n ta t i s ; f a c i e p a r u m concavd.
I1 .4D II:— Br. 7 ; D . 91— 1 4 ; A. 1 4 ; C. 9 4 ; P . 11 e t i i i .;
V. lió .
P la te X V I ., fig s . I , 2 , n a tu r a l s iz e ; 3, 4, m ag n ified .
T h i s g u rn a rd b e lo n g s to th e s am e g ro u p w ith T r ig la
a sp e ra , o r th e C a v illo n e o f th e M e d ite iT an e an ; a n d o f th e
th r e e sp e c ie s o f th e I n d ia n O c e a n , d e s c r ib e d in th e H i s to
ir e de s P o isso n s, i t a p p ro a c h e s m o s t c lo s e ly to th e T r ig la
p a p ilio (p. 8 0 , p i. 73). I t h a s th e s am e k in d o f sp in o u s
a rm a tu r e a t th e b a s e o f th e d o rs a l fins a n d on th e la te ra l
lin e ,w ith m u ch re s em b la n c e in th e s h a p e o f th e o th e r s c a le s ,
a n d a g re e s w ith i t in th e n um b e rs o f th e ra y s . I t d iffe rs
from th is a n d th e r e s t o f th e g ro u p , in th e g r e a te r s iz e o f
th e la te r a l sp in e s , in th e form o f th e a ir -b la d d e r , a n d in
o th e r p a r tic u la r s , w h ic h a re m e n tio n e d in th e fo llow in g
d e s c rip tio n .
T h e fa c e is n o t so e v e n a s th a t o f p a p ilio , b u t i s s lig h tly
c o n c a v e , a n d h a s a g r e a te r s lo p e . T h e s n o u t is ro u n d e d ,
w ith a s c a rc e ly p e rc e p tib le n o tc h a t th e m e s ia l lin e , ancl
no o th e r p o in ts o r te e th Üian th e ro u g h n e s s o f th e b o n e ,
wh ich , o n th e h e a d g e n e ra lly , is p ro d u c e d b y fin e , sh o rt,
p a ra lle l rid g e s . T h e m em b ra n o u s sp a c e o v e r th e in te r m
a x illa ry p e d ic le s is very sm a ll. T h e r e a re th r e e te e th 011
th e u jq jc r a n te r io r p a r t o f th e o r b i t ; th e r e s t o f th e su p e r c
ilia ry rid g e is ro u g h , a n d ju s t b e h in d th e ey e th e rou g h
p o in ts a re m o re c row d e d a n d b r is tlin g . T h e in te ro rb ita l
sp a c e is d e e p ly c o n c a v e , a n d its b o ttom , le s s ro u g h th a n
th e o th e r p a r ts o f th e sk u ll, is m a rk e d b y row s o f fine
ro u n d g ra in s . T h e v a u lt o f e a ch o r b i t i s lo n g itu d in a lly
r id g e d . T h e r e is a d e e p c rev ic e b e h in d e a c h ey e , c o n n
e c te d b y a c ro s s furrow o n th e tO]i o f th e h e a d . T h e sm a ll
r id g e s a re m u c h c row d ed o q th e o c c ip u t a n d s n o u t, so
th a t n o d e fin ite a r r a n g em e n t c a n b e t r a c e d ; b u t o n th e
ch e c k a n d g ill-c o v e r, th e rid g e s a re p a r a lle l a n d h o r i z
o n ta l, with v a rio u s irre g u la r, sm o o th , n a c ry lin e s u n d e r
th e ey e , a n d elsewhe re . T h e in te ro p e r c u lum h a s a
sq u a rish p ro je c tin g p r o c e s s ; th e a s c e n d in g lim b o f th e
p re o p e rc u lum is s lig h tly c o n c av e o n tlic e d g e ; th e c om e r
i s a n g u la r, a n d p ro je c ts s lig h tly , a n d th e u n d e r lim b is
c o n v ex . T h e r e a re th re e o r four m in u te te e th on th e c o r n
e r o f th e b o n e , b u t n o th in g n e a r ly so co n sp ic u o u s a s th e
four p r e o p e r c u la r te e th , r e p r e s e n te d in th e fig u re o f Tr.
p a p ilio [U is l. des P oiss., p i. 73), a u d th e wh o le form o f tlie
p re o p e rc u lum a n d su b o p e rc n lum d iffe rs in th e tw o sp e c ie s .
T h e u o lc li b e tw e e n th e a n g u la r p o in ts o f th e o p e rc u lum is