254 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Labrns Bonovani (part) Cuv. and Val. 1. c. ; Tarrell, Brit. Fish. (Ed. 1) i, 

 .p. 279, c. fig. (Ed. 2) i, p. 315 (Ed. 3) i, p. 487. 



Green wrass or green-streaked wrass, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, iii, p. 30, 

 pi. cxxvi, f. 1. 



Colours green, becoming yellow along the abdomen, and yellow streaks along 

 the rows of scales. 



Yarrell in his first edition observes that this fish is the young of the Ballan 

 wrasse. 



B. v. D. V:|t. p - 14-15, V. 1/5, A. Jhy, C. 14, L. 1. 41-47, L. tr. ^h, Vert. 

 19/19. 



Length of bead 3| to 4, of caudal fin 6^ to 7, height of body 3^- to 3f in the 

 total length. Eye diameter in the adult 5 j to 6, but as large as 4| in the young, 

 in the length of the head, 2 diameters from the end of the snout, and 1^ to If 

 diameters (1 in the young) apart. The posterior extremity of the maxilla reaches 

 to beneath the front nostril. Lips very thick. The posterior edge of the 

 preopercle smooth in adults, serrated in the young. Teeth, in a single row of 7 

 to 9 in each side of the upper, and 8 to 10 in the lower jaw : palate and tongue 

 smooth. Fins the dorsal commences on a vertical line slightly posterior to the 

 base of the pectoral, its spines are stout and in this as well as in some other 

 species of wrasse, their height in the young nearly or quite equals that of the rays, 

 but in adults the soft portion is considerably higher than the spinous. Pectoral 

 about as long as the head behind the angle of the mouth. Ventral inserted 

 beneath the fii'st third of the pectoral and reaching in the adult rather above half 

 way to the commencement of the anal. Anal commences beneath the last few 

 dorsal spines, its third spine in the adult considerably longer than the second 

 but in the young only slightly so. Caudal rounded in the young, square or even 

 emarginate in adults. Scales from about nine to eleven rows of small ones 

 across the cheeks : considerably larger on the opercles, while a row extends along 

 each caudal ray. Free portion of the tail at its commencement a little higher 

 than long. Colours these vary exceedingly. Back and sides brownish, blue or 

 green, becoming lighter on the sides and beneath : each scale on the body 

 and head with a blue or nearly white centre : cheeks reticulated with red or 

 orange lines, some of which may be continued on to the chest. Vertical 

 fins yellowish, covered with orange or yellow rings : pectoral yellow, with 

 a light band having a dark base ; outer half of fin darker than the 

 remainder. The next most common form of colour that I have seen has been 

 green with narrow longitudinal bands of yellow (L. lineatus) : this may be 

 without spots, with a dark mark behind the base of the soft dorsal fin, or it may 

 have numerous red spots on the body and fins. A not uncommon colour is pale 

 yellow, and one 12 inches long had three rows of small blue spots along the 

 spinous dorsal fin, and five along the soft portion, the anal being similarly 

 marked. In others a white band may pass from the snout through the eye to the 

 tail as in the comber ; while its remaining colours may be exceedingly various. 

 In fact, there are few combinations of colours that this fish cannot take, and 

 which induced Thompson to suggest that Labrus variabilis would be its most 

 appropriate name. 



Varieties. Inform. These are mostly due to differences in the number and 

 comparative height of the spines and rays of the fins, which have been already 

 referred to : serrations along the posterior border of the preopercle are generally 

 diagnostic signs of the immaturity of the specimen ; while the head is com- 

 paratively longer in the immature than in the adult. In colour. L. lineatus was' 

 first mentioned by Pennant, who observed on having seen one taken at the Giants' 

 Causeway, in Ireland, of a vivid green spotted with scarlet (Perroquet de mer, 

 French), and at Sligo one of a pale green (Vieille vert, French). Donovan next; 

 figured it, the body being green with numerous yellowish longitudinal lines 

 (Vieille jaune, French) ; while on July 29th, 1881, I obtained one at Penzance of 

 a general bright emerald green covered with white spots, the head and fins as in 



