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Scorpaena stokesii.  RICHARDSON.

RADII.  D. 12 :  9; A. 3 :  5; C. 13 6/6; P. 17; V. 1 :  5.

FISHES.  PLATE 2.  Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, natural size.

The Scorpaenae have so strong a generic resemblance among themselves that it is difficult to detect the distinctive characters of the species, especially as the colours of the recent fish speedily fade when macerated in spirits, or when the mucous integument decays or is injured.  We have received but a single example of the subject of this article, which is named in honour of the able commander of the Beagle.

The species bears a near resemblance to the Scorpaena militaris, but differs from it in having no spinous point terminating the intra orbitar ridges, and in the distribution of the scales on the cheek and gill cover.  The spinous points on the head approach very near to those of bufo and porcus.  The inferior preorbitar tooth is acutely spinous, and points directly downwards; the two anterior ones are inconspicuous, and not very acute, and the smaller upper posterior one observed in most Scorpaenae is obsolete, or, at least, completely hidden by the integuments.  The nasal spines are, as usual, small, simple, and acute.  The three supra orbitar teeth are smaller than in militaris, and the middle one reclines so as to be concealed by the integument instead of standing boldly up.  The two low ridges between the orbits do not end in spinous points.  The lateral ridges continued from the orbits over the supra scapulars, and the temporal ridges which are parallel to them, but run farther back, contain each four teeth.  The infra-orbitar ridge is slightly uneven anteriorly, and two reclining teeth may be made out at its posterior end.  The preoperculum is curved in the segment of a circle, and has a short spine, with a smaller one on its base, opposite to the abutment of the infra-orbitar ridge.  Beneath this spine there are four angular points on the edge of the bone.  The opercular spines are as usual two in number, being the tips of two low even divergent ridges, with a curved notch in the edges of the bone between them.  The coracoid bone is notched above the pectoral fin, the notch being terminated below by a spine, and above by an acute corner.  There are no scales between the cranial ridges on the top of the head, nor in the concave inter-orbital space.  A single row of five or six scales traverses the cheek below the infra-orbitar ridge.  The temples before the upper limb of the preoperculum are densely scaly, as is also the gill flap above the upper opercular ridge.  The acute membranous lobe which fills the notch between the two opercular spines is likewise scaly, and there are a few scales about the origin of the ridges, but the space between the ridges, the sub-operculum, and the inter-operculum, are naked.