Part 10

COLOUR.—(In spirits.) Dark brownish yellow, with faint indications of three dusky patches or abbreviated transverse fasciæ, one beneath each dorsal, and the third on each side of the upper part of the tail. Second dorsal and anal crossed by several whitish longitudinal lines; the posterior point of each fin nearly black.

This species was obtained by Mr. Darwin at Tahiti. It is probably the U. trifasciatus of Cuvier and Valenciennes, who received their specimens from the Carolinas and Sandwich Islands. But it does not so well accord with the Mulle multibande of Quoy and Gaimard, which is supposed by the authors of the “Histoire des Poissons,” to be the same as their species. If the figure in the Zoology of “Freycinet’s Voyage” be correct, the Mulle multibande has the nostrils much smaller, and the spines of the first dorsal much stronger; the ventrals also are relatively much shorter, so as to reach very little more than half-way to the anal. Future observation must determine whether the two fish are distinct or not.

3. UPENEUS PRAYENSIS. Cuv. et Val.?

Upeneus Prayensis, Cuv. et Val. Hist. des Poiss. tom. iii. p. 357.

FORM.—Very much resembling that of the U. trifasciatus, but with the following differences. The eyes rather larger, distant from the end of the snout rather more than two diameters and a half. Suborbitals traversed towards their lower margins by a number of lines, each terminating in a pore, and with their whole disks studded besides with pores without lines: the lower margin itself presents four distinct deeply-cut notches, the first of which receives the end of the maxillary when the mouth is closed. A single row of small conical teeth in each jaw; in addition to which, in the upper, there are some stronger ones in front, exterior to the others, amounting to eight in number, the central pair of which bends inwards or towards each other, and the three on each side, which are the strongest of all, backwards and outwards. No teeth on the vomer or palatines. The posterior extremity of the maxillary is much narrower than in the last species. Spine of the opercle sharp and well developed, about two lines and a quarter in length. Barbules reaching very nearly to the posterior margin of the opercle. Ramifications of the mucous tubes on the lateral line very numerous. Height of the first dorsal equalling rather more than half the depth. Space between the two dorsals equalling half the length of the second dorsal. This last fin pointed behind, as well as the anal, but not so much so as in the U. trifasciatus. Pectorals when laid back reaching to a vertical line from the extremity of the first dorsal. Ventrals reaching a little beyond the pectorals, but falling short of the anal by a space equalling half their own length.

D. 8–9; A. 7; C. 15, &c.; P. 16; V. 1/5. Length 8 inches.

COLOUR.—“Vermilion, with streaks of iridescent blue.”—D. In spirits, the colour appears of a uniform dull reddish yellow, without any indication of spots or other markings on the fins or body.

Habitat, Porto Praya, Cape Verde Islands.

I suppose this to be the U. Prayensis of Cuvier and Valenciennes, the description of which, so far as given in the “Histoire des Poissons,” is tolerably applicable. Those authors, however, mention a spot in the middle of each scale of a deeper red than the ground colour, which is not alluded to by Mr. Darwin in his notes, and of which I see no trace on the fish in its present state. On the other hand they are silent with regard to the blue streaks. In some of its characters, especially as regards the teeth, this species seems to approach the U. maculatus; but the colours are different in this last also, which is moreover found on the opposite side of the Atlantic.

FAMILY.—TRIGLIDÆ.

TRIGLA KUMU. Less. et Garn.

Trigla kumu, Less. et Garn. Zoologie de la Coquille, (Poissons) Pl. 19. ———— Cuv. et Val. Hist. des Poiss. tom. iv. p. 36.

FORM.—In general appearance very much resembling the T. Hirundo, but more elongated. Depth contained about five times and a half in the entire length. Head rather more than four times and a quarter in the same. The obliquity of the profile about the same as that of the T. Hirundo, but the concavity of the interocular space less. The granulations on the head not so coarse, or so strongly marked, the lines in which they are arranged being closer and more numerous: those on the suborbitals radiate from a point nearer the extremity of the snout: no crest or ridge at the bottom of the suborbital, and only a very indistinct one at the bottom of the preopercle: as Cuvier has well noted, the grains on the border of the preopercle are divided into little isles, or collected in clusters, by irregular lines which undulate amongst them; and in this specimen, the same character presents itself on the posterior and upper portion of the suborbital: some of the first lines on the opercle are plain, or without granulations. Snout emarginated, with three or four denticulations on each side rather sharper and more developed than in the T. Hirundo. Two spines at the anterior angle of the eye; but none at the posterior angle, or on the temples. Suprascapular, opercular, and clavicular spines much as in the T. Hirundo. Lateral line and whole body smooth, excepting the dorsal ridges, which are strongly serrated. Dorsal spines as in the T. Hirundo; second longest; the first with a series of obsolete granulations on its anterior edge. Pectorals not quite one-third of the entire length: free rays incrassated in the middle, tapering towards the ends, but with the extreme tips slightly dilated.

D. 10—16; A. 16; C. 11, &c.; P. 11, and 3 free; V. 1/5. Length 16 inches 6 lines.

COLOUR.—“Whole body bright red.”—D. The pectorals, of which no note was taken in the recent state, appear, in the dried skin, externally, of a dusky colour, approaching to black, with white rays; the lower margin, however, is paler, and was probably originally red like the body: inside, the colour is much the same, but variegated with a few white spots; there are also portions of a paler tint, probably the remains of a fine blue. I see no distinct trace of the large deep black spot, said by Cuvier to occupy the seventh and eighth rays on the posterior face of the fin.

Taken in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. The only respect in which it differs from the description of the T. kumu by Cuvier and Valenciennes, is its having one more spine in the first dorsal.

1. PRIONOTUS PUNCTATUS. Cuv. et Val.

Prionotus punctatus, Cuv. et Val. Hist. des Poiss. tom. iv. p. 68.

FORM.—Well characterized by the form of the snout, which is very obtuse, and as it were truncated, with scarcely any notch in the middle; the margins of the lobes are crenated with minute denticles, immediately beyond which is a small sharp spine directed backwards; further on, almost immediately above the corners of the mouth, is a second similar, but somewhat larger spine. There are also some minute spines on the temples, as well as on the ridge of the preopercle, besides the ordinary spines, common to other species, which in this are all well developed and very sharp. Dorsal spines smooth, or only the first with a faintly marked line of granulations; third longest. Pectorals long, contained exactly two and a half times in the entire length; when laid back, they reach to within two rays of the extremity of the second dorsal. Free rays rather slender and tapering, with the extreme tips pointed; not above half the length of the pectorals. Ventrals rather longer than the free rays.

D. 10—12; A. 11; C. 11, &c.; P. 13 and 3; V. 1/5. Length 8 inches 9 lines.

COLOUR.—“Above and sides olive brown, with red spots and marks; beneath silvery white; edges of the pectoral fins Prussian blue.”—D.

Fish. Pl. 6.

W. Hawkins. del.

Prionotus Miles. Nat. Size. ]

This species is said by Cuvier and Valenciennes to be common all along the Brazilian coast as far as the mouth of the Plata. Mr. Darwin’s specimen was taken swimming on the surface in the Bay of Rio de Janeiro, and agrees well with the description by those authors. “When first taken made a croaking noise.”—D.

2. PRIONOTUS MILES. Jen.

PLATE VI.

P. splendidè rubro variatus; rostro emarginato, utrinque distinctè denticulato; buccis levissimè granulosis; fossulâ dorsali lateribus inermibus; squamis corporis parvis, ubique ciliatis; pinnis pectoralibus modicis, corpore certè triplò brevioribus; radiis liberis subincrassatis, apicibus dilatatis.